Tourism across the Gulf Cooperation Council contributed $247.1bn to the economy in 2024, up 32% from 2019, according to the GCC Statistical Center.
Intra-GCC travel reached 19.3m trips between member states, up 52% on pre-pandemic levels. Travel between GCC countries now accounts for over a quarter of total regional tourism activity.
Saudi Arabia welcomed 30m international visitors in 2024. Total tourist numbers, including domestic travellers, reached 116m, up 6% year on year. Tourism expenditure hit SAR284bn ($75.7bn), an 11% increase.
The UN World Tourism Organisation’s 2025 World Tourism Barometer shows Saudi Arabia recorded the world’s fastest growth in international tourism revenue in Q1 2025, with arrivals doubling compared to the same period in 2019. Medina ranks in the top 100 tourist destinations according to Euromonitor International.
The GCC tourism sector is projected to contribute $371.2bn to regional GDP by 2034, equivalent to 13.3% of the total economy, up from $130bn in 2023. The sector is expected to create 1.3m new jobs across the GCC.
Fitch Ratings projects GCC tourism GDP will exceed $340bn by 2030, accounting for more than 10% of regional economic output.
