Muscat: According to the Statistical Center for the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, the sector’s added value to the GCC’s gross domestic product (GDP) hit $247.1 billion in 2024, a 31.9 percent increase from 2019 levels. By 2034, this share is projected to climb to 13.3 percent of GDP, equivalent to $371.2 billion, underscoring the industry’s strategic importance to sustainable development across the Gulf.

The report, released in conjunction with World Tourism Day under the title “Tourism in the GCC: A Gateway to Sustainable Development and Transformation,” highlighted the sector’s role in job creation, social empowerment, and environmental preservation. Employment generated by travel and tourism reached $4.3 billion in 2024, up 24.9 percent from 2019, with an estimated 1.3 million new jobs expected by 2034. Notably, female participation in the sector surged to 13 percent of the workforce, a 73.2 percent rise compared to five years earlier.

Sustainability also took center stage, with the share of protected nature reserves across GCC countries rising to 19 percent of total land and marine areas in 2023, reflecting a 7.5 percent year-on-year increase. Officials noted that ecotourism initiatives are becoming a key growth driver, balancing economic expansion with environmental stewardship.

In addition, intra-Gulf tourism has flourished, strengthening regional integration. The intra-GCC tourism index jumped 52.1 percent in 2024 compared to 2019, with 19.3 million tourists traveling within the bloc, accounting for more than a quarter of total international tourist arrivals.