The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) tourism sector contributed approximately $254.7 billion to the regional economy in 2025, supported by 75.7 million visitor arrivals and inbound tourism spending of about $131.9 billion, according to www.indexbox.io data. The sector’s economic contribution grew at a compound annual growth rate of 7.3% from 2019 to 2025, outperforming the global tourism growth rate of 6.7% during the same period. GCC nations accounted for around 5% of global tourist movements and 6.9% of worldwide tourism receipts in 2025.
The average implementation of the Gulf Tourism Strategy goals across member states reached 73.8% by 2025, reflecting progress
toward boosting the tourism sector’s economic impact.
Eighth Regional Workshop on Innovation in Tourism Statistics in Muscat
The GCC Statistical Centre organized the eighth Regional Workshop on Innovation in Tourism Statistics in Muscat prior to September 2026. The two-day workshop gathered officials and roughly 30 specialists from the statistical agencies of GCC member states. Its primary aim was to enhance the integration, calibration, and reconciliation of tourism data across the GCC to improve analysis and comparability.
Discussions at the workshop included challenges of linking diverse tourism datasets, evaluating their quality and consistency, and employing combined data to detect tourism trends and forecast demand. Participants reviewed legal, institutional, and technical frameworks
necessary for efficient data sharing between GCC countries.
The event also examined statistical integration strategies to raise the reliability and uniformity of tourism indicators throughout the region. The GCC Statistical Centre emphasized the workshop’s role in identifying gaps in data and strengthening collaboration among institutions holding tourism-related statistics.
GCC Tourism’s Role in Regional Development and Statistical Advancements
Intisar Al Wahaibi, Director General of the GCC Statistical Centre, described tourism as “a key pillar of national development frameworks” and noted that it is steadily expanding across the Gulf. She stressed the importance of reliable tourism statistics for quantifying economic impact, monitoring progress, and informing policy, investment, and development decisions.
The
GCC tourism sector generates approximately $254.7 billion in economic contribution and welcomed 75.7 million visitors in 2025. It represents 5% of global tourist movements and 6.9% of worldwide tourism receipts, showing growth that outpaces the global average compound annual growth rate of 6.7% since 2019.
The Gulf Tourism Strategy’s implementation averaged 73.8% by 2025, evidencing coordinated regional measures to develop tourism sustainably. Advances made through workshops such as the one held in Muscat are integral to improving data quality, integration, and analysis, supporting evidence-based policymaking to reinforce tourism’s economic role across GCC member states.
