Tourism revenue across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) reached $131.9 billion in 2025, marking a 9.7% increase from 2024, the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf reported. International tourist arrivals into the six GCC countries totaled 75.7 million in 2025, up 4.9% compared to the previous year.
Intra-GCC Travel and Hospitality Capacity Growth
Tourist movements within GCC member states increased by 3.6%, reaching 20.1 million trips in 2025. The region’s lodging infrastructure expanded with the number of hotel establishments climbing by 4.8% to 12,400, reflecting efforts to meet growing accommodation demand.
Digital Infrastructure and Global Rankings
GCC countries scored between 34 and 99 points
on the Emerging Technologies Adoption Index in 2025, with three countries ranked in the world’s top 20. Mobile Application Development Index scores ranged from 60 to 77 points, highlighting regional capacity to deliver tourism-related digital services. Government Online Services Index results fluctuated between 56 and 99 points, with three GCC nations placing among the global top 25.
Economic Impact and Sectoral Support
The increase in visitor numbers and hotel capacity drove tourism revenue growth, supporting the GCC’s strategy to diversify its economies beyond oil. Tourism underpins related sectors including aviation, transport, hospitality, retail, entertainment and service industries, contributing to job creation and expanding non-oil economic
activities.
Digital Transformation and Regional Integration
Digital transformation enhanced tourism competitiveness by simplifying travel procedures and accommodation arrangements through government online services. The adoption of artificial intelligence and data analytics enables tourism providers to better understand visitor preferences, anticipate demand, and improve destination management. The Statistical Centre recommended closer digital integration among GCC countries, including shared platforms for bookings, transport, events and tourist information to facilitate intra-regional tourism and visitor access to cultural and recreational attractions.
According to the Statistical Centre’s weekly bulletin, titled “Gulf Tourism in the Era of Smart Transformation,” digital readiness and emerging technologies significantly increase the efficiency of visitor services and
contribute to the region’s tourism growth.
