TOURISM across the GCC contributed $247.1 billion to the region’s economy in 2024, marking a nearly 32 per cent increase compared with 2019, the latest official data showed, reports the Arab News.
According to preliminary data from the GCC Statistical Centre, intra-GCC travel experienced a sharp rebound, rising 52pc over the same period, with 19.3 million visitors traveling between member states.
Intra-regional tourism now accounts for 26.7pc of total GCC tourism, highlighting growing cultural integration and regional mobility.
The findings appear in a report titled ‘GCC Tourism: Intra-Gulf Integration,’ released to coincide with World Tourism Day on September 27. The report underscores tourism’s expanding role as a driver of economic growth, employment, and cultural exchange, while supporting environmental sustainability initiatives across the Gulf.
Saudi Arabia continued to set the pace for regional tourism expansion. In 2024, the country welcomed a record 30m international visitors, up 8pc from 2023, generating 284bn riyals ($75.7bn) in tourism spending, an 11pc increase year on year. Total domestic and international tourists reached approximately 116m, rising 6pc over the previous year.
Saudi Arabia’s rapid growth extends into 2025. According to the UN World Tourism Organisation’s World Tourism Barometer, the kingdom posted the highest global increase in international tourist revenue during the first quarter of 2025, with arrivals up 102pc compared with the same period in 2019.
Medina has been named among the world’s top 100 tourist destinations by Euromonitor International, ranking first in Saudi Arabia, fifth in the Gulf, and sixth in the Arab world - a recognition of continued investment in visitor experiences and tourism development.
Key attractions include the Museum of the Architecture of the Prophet’s Mosque, the Safiyya Museum, and a growing portfolio of entertainment and cultural projects.
GCC-Stat projects that tourism’s contribution to the GCC’s GDP could reach $371.2bn, or 13.3pc of GDP, by 2034. Employment in the sector is also expected to expand, generating an estimated 1.3m new jobs, with women representing an increasing share of the workforce.
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