Gulf Statistical Body: Growth in Gulf Tourism Sector Indicators Boosts Contribution of Non-Oil Activities
GCC Statistical Center report confirms growth in tourism indicators in 2025, with enhanced digital infrastructure and economic diversification.
Translated by Qiyas from القبس — Original source
The Statistical Center of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries said on Sunday that the recent growth in tourism indicators across the GCC states underscores the importance of the tourism sector as one of the pillars of economic diversification and its role in stimulating investment, creating jobs, and enhancing the contribution of non-oil activities.
In a weekly report titled “Gulf Tourism in the Era of Smart Transformation,” the Center stated that tourism indicators in GCC countries showed growth in tourist arrivals, tourism revenues, and hotel establishments in 2025, alongside the development of digital infrastructure, the adoption of emerging technologies, and the expansion of digital government services, all of which enhance the competitiveness of the tourism sector.
Regarding the growth of these indicators, the Center noted that the number of tourists arriving in GCC countries reached 75.7 million in 2025, representing a growth rate of 4.9 percent compared to 2024. Total tourism revenues amounted to $131.9 billion, with an annual growth rate of 9.7 percent. Meanwhile, the number of tourists traveling between GCC countries reached 20.1 million, reflecting a growth rate of 3.6 percent.
During the same year, the total number of hotel establishments in GCC countries reached 12,400, an increase of 4.8 percent compared to 2024. The Center emphasized that this “reflects the broadening of the operational base of the tourism sector and its growing capacity to absorb demand, alongside the diversification of accommodation options and services offered to visitors.”
The Center affirmed that these indicators highlight the importance of tourism as a pillar of economic diversification in Gulf countries, given its linkage to a wide range of activities including transport, aviation, hospitality, retail, entertainment, and services, as well as its role in stimulating investment, creating jobs, and boosting the contribution of non-oil activities to their economies.
On the development of digital infrastructure, the Center pointed out that the growth in tourism indicators coincides with advancements in digital infrastructure, the adoption of emerging technologies, and the expansion of digital government services, which enhance the competitiveness of the tourism sector and support the transition toward smarter, more integrated, and sustainable tourism experiences.
In this context, the Center outlined three key indicators reflecting the level of digital readiness in GCC countries and their role in reshaping the future of tourism and developing tourism services and experiences. It noted that these countries scored between 34 and 99 points on the “Adoption of Emerging Technologies 2025” index, with three Gulf countries ranking among the top 20 globally in the same index.
The Center added that GCC countries scored between 60 and 77 points on the “Mobile Application Development 2025” index, reflecting the availability of a digital foundation that can be leveraged to develop innovative tourism applications that facilitate visitors’ access to information and services and enhance the quality of their experience before, during, and after travel.
Regarding the “Online Government Services 2025” index, the Center stated that GCC countries scored between 56 and 99 points, with three of them ranking among the top 25 countries globally in the same index. This “highlights the importance of digital government services in facilitating travel, accommodation, and tourism-related procedures and improving the efficiency of services provided to visitors.”
The Center clarified that these indicators indicate that digital transformation has become a “key pillar” for enhancing the competitiveness of Gulf tourism by leveraging data, artificial intelligence, and digital applications to understand tourists’ needs, forecast demand, and develop more personalized services, in addition to improving destination management and increasing resource efficiency, thereby supporting sustainability and elevating visitor satisfaction levels.
In this regard, the Center emphasized the importance of enhancing digital integration among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and developing joint platforms that link booking, transportation, events, and tourism information services, thereby enabling visitors to enjoy a smoother, more integrated Gulf experience and contributing to the encouragement of intra-GCC tourism and the greater utilization of the region’s diverse natural, cultural, heritage, and recreational assets. It is worth noting that the Statistical Center for the Gulf Cooperation Council, headquartered in the Sultanate of Oman, was established in 2011 as the official authorized body for data, information, and statistics related to GCC member states, in addition to its role in strengthening statistical and informational efforts among national statistical centers and planning authorities within the GCC.
