Home

Trending

GCC Countries Welcome 68.1 Million Tourists, Generating $110.4 Billion in 2023: GCC-Stat


Abu Dhabi: The Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf (GCC-Stat) reported that by the end of 2023, approximately 68.1 million international tourists visited the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. This marks an increase of 42.8 percent compared to 2019 figures.



According to Emirates News Agency, the ‘Travel and Tourism in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries’ newsletter highlighted that the GCC countries achieved 52.9 percent of the first strategic objective outlined in their joint tourism strategy (2023-2030). This objective aims to gradually increase the number of incoming tourists to 128.7 million. The total international tourism revenues in the GCC countries rose by 28.2 percent by the end of 2023 compared to 2019, reaching $110.4 billion. This contributed to achieving 58.7 percent of the second strategic goal, which is to increase international tourist spending to $188 billion.



The GCC-Stat data also revealed that intra-GCC tourism accounted for 26.9 percent of total international tourists, growing by 44.2 percent compared to 2019. The Asia-Pacific region was the largest source of tourists, making up 38 percent, followed by the Middle East at 25.1 percent, Europe at 22.9 percent, Africa at 8.8 percent, and the Americas at 4.3 percent.



Tourism indicators have positively impacted the sector’s infrastructure in the GCC countries. In 2023, there were 10,893 hotel establishments, including 697 rooms, and five of the GCC countries exceeded the regional average in air transport infrastructure. The travel and tourism sector contributed 10.8 percent to the Gulf GDP, with an annual growth rate of 29.4 percent over the previous year. The sector’s added value reached $223.4 billion by the end of 2023.



The GCC tourism sector employed about 1.5 million people by the end of 2023, a 17 percent increase compared to 2019. The sector’s added value in employment amounted to $4.04 billion, with a 15.5 percent annual growth rate for 2022 and 2023. The GCC countries surpassed the regional indicator for human resources and the labor market in the Global Travel and Tourism Development Index 2024. Women made up 12.4 percent of the workforce in the tourism sector, with an annual growth of 27.5 percent since 2020, highlighting efforts to empower women in the industry.



The tourism sector also promotes environmental sustainability in the GCC countries. Natural reserves now cover 15.1 percent of the GCC’s total area, with a 39 percent annual growth rate from 2017 to 2023.

Recent Post

Advertisement