International tourism revenue in GCC tops $120.2 billion: Gulf Stat

Where Diplomacy Meets News

International tourism revenue in GCC tops $120.2 billion: Gulf Stat

January 17, 2026

MUSCAT,— Tourism across the Gulf Cooperation Council states surged in 2024, generating $120.2 billion in international revenues, the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Gulf-Stat, reported.

The Emirates News Agency WAM cited the figures, highlighting a 39.6 percent rise from 2019 and an 8.9 percent increase compared with 2023.

The growth reflects a strong rebound in visitor numbers and spending, supporting jobs and reinforcing tourism’s role as a key pillar of economic diversification in the GCC.

Gulf-Stat’s report, “Travel and Tourism in the GCC Countries 2024,” noted that international arrivals reached 72.2 million, up 51.5 percent from 2019 and 6.1 percent from the previous year. This accounted for 5.2 percent of global tourism, demonstrating a recovery that exceeds pre-pandemic levels.

Experts attribute the increase to expanded air connectivity, easier visa procedures, and the introduction of new tourism products across the region.

By source market, tourists from the Middle East represented 18.8 percent of arrivals, while visitors from Europe and the Asia-Pacific region accounted for 14.6 percent and 14.5 percent, respectively.

Intra-GCC travel continued to dominate, comprising 41.3 percent of total international visitors, with an average annual growth of 51.2 percent between 2019 and 2024, Gulf-Stat said.

Tourism infrastructure expanded to meet demand, with hotel properties totaling 11,200 and offering roughly 711,500 rooms. Employment in the sector rose to 1.7 million in 2024, up 33 percent from 2020, reflecting the sector’s growing contribution to local economies.

The direct contribution of travel and tourism to GCC GDP reached $93.5 billion, achieving 64.1 percent of the GCC Tourism Strategy 2030 target. Tourism’s share of the regional GDP rose to 4.3 percent.

Sustainability measures showed an average stay of 8.4 nights and an average spending per visitor of $674.6.

Gulf-Stat noted that cultural, eco, and business tourism are expected to drive continued growth, with GCC countries on track to meet 56 to 78 percent of the 2030 strategy targets.

(With files from WAM)