The GCC tourism sector generated approximately $254.7 billion in total economic contribution in 2025, while the region recorded 75.7 million tourist arrivals and around $131.9 billion in inbound visitor expenditure, according to the GCC Statistical Centre.
Tourism’s economic contribution grew at an average annual rate of 7.3% between 2019 and 2025, compared with global growth of 6.7% during the same period.
The figures were presented during the eighth Regional Workshop on Innovation in Tourism Statistics, held in Muscat under the theme “Innovation in Tourism Statistics: Data Integration and Trend Analysis.”
Organised by the GCC Statistical Center, the two-day workshop brings together officials and 30 specialists representing the statistical authorities of GCC countries. The event focuses on strengthening regional cooperation on tourism statistics and improving the use of data to measure the sector’s economic and developmental impact.
In 2025, GCC countries accounted for approximately 5% of international tourist movements and 6.9% of global tourism receipts. The region also recorded an average implementation progress rate of 73.8% towards the objectives of the Gulf Tourism Strategy through 2025.
Intisar Al Wahaibi, Director General of the GCC Statistical Center, said tourism has continued to grow across the GCC and has become an important component of national development plans and strategies. She highlighted the role of reliable tourism statistics in measuring economic contribution, monitoring sector development and supporting policy, investment and development decisions.
The workshop is examining the integration of tourism data from multiple sources, including requirements for data exchange, data linkage, matching, calibration and reconciliation methodologies.
Sessions are also covering methods for assessing the quality, consistency and comparability of tourism statistics, as well as the use of integrated datasets to identify trends and support tourism demand forecasting.
Participants are discussing the limitations of relying on individual data sources, the wider tourism data ecosystem and the legal, institutional and technical requirements for data sharing among GCC institutions.
The workshop also addresses statistical integration approaches aimed at improving the reliability and comparability of tourism indicators across GCC member states.
The GCC Statistical Centre said the workshop provides a platform for exchanging specialist knowledge and practical experience, while identifying statistical gaps and data deficiencies across the region. It also seeks to improve coordination between authorities producing tourism data and institutions that hold relevant datasets.
The workshop is expected to conclude with recommendations focused on improving the quality and methodological consistency of tourism statistics across the GCC, supporting evidence-based tourism policies and the sector’s contribution to sustainable economic development.
