Intra-GCC Tourism Booms with 51.2% Growth in 5 Years: Key Opportunities for Investors and Business Owners in Oman
Muscat – International tourism revenues in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries reached approximately US$120.2 billion in 2024, marking a 39.6 percent increase from 2019 and an 8.9 percent rise compared to 2023. This growth has elevated the GCC’s share of global tourism revenues to 7.5 percent.
According to data released by the Statistical Center of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, this robust performance highlights the continued strength of inbound tourism to the GCC throughout 2024. The sector experienced significant growth in visitor numbers, revenues, and employment, reinforcing its critical role as a key driver of economic diversification and a contributor to the region’s gross domestic product (GDP).
The center’s report, “Travel and Tourism in the GCC Countries for 2024,” reveals that the total number of international tourists visiting the GCC reached 72.2 million, reflecting a 51.5 percent increase compared to 2019 and a 6.1 percent increase relative to 2023. This growth raised the region’s share of the global tourism market to 5.2 percent.
This upward trend indicates a strong recovery exceeding pre-pandemic levels, underpinned by enhanced air connectivity, streamlined visa procedures, and a broadened range of tourism offerings.
The data also highlights increasing diversity in source markets. Tourists from the Middle East accounted for 18.8 percent of visitors, followed by Europe at 14.6 percent, and Asia and the Pacific at 14.5 percent. This demonstrates the GCC’s expanding appeal beyond regional tourism and growing demand from long-haul markets.
Intra-GCC tourism made up 41.3 percent of total international visitors, with an average annual growth rate of 51.2 percent from 2019 to 2024. This trend reflects the success of Gulf tourism integration efforts, facilitating easy movement and jointly hosted events.
Rising demand is also evident in the sector’s infrastructure growth. The GCC now boasts 11,200 hotel establishments offering approximately 711,500 rooms. Employment in the tourism sector reached 1.7 million workers in 2024, a 33 percent increase since 2020, underscoring tourism’s vital role in job creation and economic stability.
The travel and tourism sector’s direct contribution to GDP was recorded at US$93.5 billion in 2024, achieving 64.1 percent of the target set for 2030. Overall, the sector’s contribution to the Gulf’s GDP rose to 4.3 percent, marking its evolution from a supporting industry to a major economic pillar in the region’s diversification strategies.
Sustainability indicators show improvements, with the average length of tourist stays increasing to 8.4 nights and average spending rising to US$674.6 per visitor. Labor productivity in the sector has also improved. Completion rates for the Gulf Tourism Strategy 2030 range between 56 and 78 percent, positioning the region for continued growth, particularly in cultural, environmental, business, and conference tourism sectors.
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The robust growth of international tourism revenues and visitor numbers in the GCC, including Oman, signals a transformative opportunity for businesses to capitalize on expanding air connectivity, diversified tourism products, and enhanced regional integration. This surge not only boosts GDP contributions but also creates significant job opportunities and infrastructure expansion, positioning tourism as a vital economic pillar. Smart investors and entrepreneurs should now focus on leveraging emerging segments such as cultural, environmental, and business tourism while aligning with sustainability goals to capture long-term growth in the evolving GCC tourism landscape.
