GCC Tourism Receipts Rise 9.7% to $131.9B as Arrivals Hit 75.7 Million
Higher visitor spending drove receipts to $131.9 billion, while hotel establishments rose 4.8% and intra-GCC trips reached 20.1 million, GCC-STAT data show.
International arrivals across the six Gulf Cooperation Council states reached 75.7 million in 2025, up 4.9% from the year before. Tourism receipts climbed faster. They totaled $131.9 billion, a 9.7% increase, according to GCC-STAT.
Higher visitor spending drove the revenue gain, not simply a larger headcount. The growth coincided with more hotel capacity and digital services. Hotel establishments in the bloc rose 4.8% to 12,400. Intra-GCC travel increased 3.6% to 20.1 million tourists. That matters for a region trying to sell itself as a single destination.
Gulf governments have continued to invest in tourism as a route away from oil dependence. Their digital readiness varies. GCC-STAT measured three indicators. Scores ranged from 34 to 99 on emerging technology adoption, 60 to 77 on mobile app development and 56 to 99 on online government services. Three states ranked in the global top 20 for emerging technology adoption. The spread shows adoption is uneven across the bloc. Three states placed in the global top 25 for online government services.
The statistical office named artificial intelligence, data analytics and digital platforms as tools for forecasting demand, serving visitors and managing resources. It urged member states to link booking platforms, transport, event calendars and tourism information systems. The report treats those links as infrastructure, not add-ons. A unified regional tourism strategy seeks to raise tourism's contribution to GDP and attract more foreign visitors. Under the proposed Unified GCC Tourist Visa, travelers would move through all six states on one permit, enabling multi-country trips and bolstering intra-regional tourism.
GCC-STAT projects that tourism's total contribution to gross domestic product will pass $365.7 billion by 2035. For hoteliers and airlines, the gap between arrivals growth and receipts growth is the number to watch. It points to pricing power, not just volume. Whether the visa becomes a working product will shape how much of that 2035 figure arrives on schedule.
