Amin (GCC): We seek a leading and integrated Gulf tourism system
Manama, Sept 10 (KUNA) -- Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassem Al-Bedaiwi affirmed here on Thursday that the ambition extends beyond the GCC member states becoming leading tourist destinations individually, to forming a cohesive, diverse, and integrated GCC tourism system with unified aspirations.
This statement came during Al-Bedaiwi’s speech at the 10th meeting of the Committee of Ministers Responsible for Tourism in GCC countries, held under the chairmanship of Bahrain’s Minister of Tourism, Fatima Al-Sairafi, and attended by Omar Al-Omar, Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology and Acting Minister of Media and Culture, along with the tourism ministers of the GCC member states.
He noted that the meeting takes place amid accelerating regional challenges and crises that have cast shadows on many vital economic sectors, most notably tourism, which is one of the sectors most closely linked to travel and transport flows, market stability, and traveler confidence.
He added that these challenges arise at a time when GCC tourism has achieved significant gains and strengthened its presence and contribution to the economies of the member states, making the preservation of this sector’s momentum and enhancing its capacity to withstand exceptional circumstances a priority for the coming phase.
In this context, he pointed out that recent developments have demonstrated the importance of the advanced infrastructure, robust security and regulatory systems, and flexible institutional capacities possessed by the GCC member states, alongside effective coordination mechanisms among them. These factors have collectively contributed to maintaining the continuity of tourism and travel flows.
He also highlighted positive indicators observed in the GCC tourism sector in 2025, reflecting the progress achieved by the member states and underscoring the growing stature of tourism and its role in supporting economic growth and diversification.
In this regard, he stated that the number of tourists visiting the GCC member states exceeded 75 million in 2025, representing a growth rate of 4.8 percent. Meanwhile, tourism spending in the GCC surpassed 131 billion U.S. dollars in the same year, compared to approximately 120 billion dollars in 2024.
He added that more than 20 million tourists traveled within the GCC member states in 2025, an increase of 3.6 percent compared to 2024. Furthermore, the direct and indirect contribution of tourism to the economies of the GCC member states reached approximately 254 billion dollars in the same year, accounting for 11.4 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP).
He emphasized that these figures do not merely represent growth indicators but reflect important developmental and economic gains. “Our responsibility today extends beyond building on these achievements to enhancing our capacity to protect and sustain them in the face of changes, in order to achieve the targets of the GCC Tourism Strategy (2023-2030),” he said.
He added that recent developments in the tourism sector have confirmed that its strength is measured not only by its growth rates but also by its ability to maintain trust and continuity under various circumstances.
Al-Bedaiwi said, “We have practically witnessed the importance of joint GCC action, as relevant authorities in the member states activated direct coordination mechanisms to preserve travel flows, air, land, and sea connectivity, accelerate information exchange, and coordinate responses.”
He stressed that, from this perspective, the coming phase requires focusing on three main pathways: protecting the tourism sector’s gains and enhancing its resilience and readiness; accelerating the implementation of joint GCC initiatives and projects while promoting intra-GCC tourism; and deepening tourism integration among the member states to maximize the benefits of their diverse assets and strengthen their presence as a cohesive, globally competitive GCC tourism system. (End) K.N.A./M.A.A.
