89.9 Million Visitors to Gulf States in 2025, Spending $131.9 Billion

The Strategic Tourism Ambition Report for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, issued by the Statistical Center of the Gulf Cooperation Council, revealed a notable growth in inbound tourism and tourist spending in the Gulf states during 2025, reflecting the continued expansion of tourism activity and visitor flows in the region.

The report clarified that the number of visitors to the GCC countries reached approximately 89.9 million in 2025, an indicator reflecting the scale of tourism activity witnessed by the Gulf states throughout the year.

The report noted that total spending by inbound visitors rose to $131.9 billion in 2025, recording an annual growth rate of 9.7%, underscoring the increased economic value of tourism activity linked to visitors arriving from outside the GCC.

In terms of domestic tourism, the report showed that local tourists’ spending reached $42.9 billion in 2025, achieving an annual growth rate of 6.2%, continuing the trend of local tourist spending registering growth rates that enhance the contribution of domestic tourism to economic activity.

These indicators highlight the broadening scope of tourism activity in the GCC, both through inbound visitor flows and the growth of local tourist spending, confirming the importance of the tourism sector and its increasing role in the economies of the region’s countries.