Muscat: The future of Gulf tourism relies heavily on harnessing data, digital applications, and artificial intelligence to manage destinations sustainably and better forecast visitor demand, according to a new report by the Gulf Cooperation Council Statistical Center (GCC-Stat). Released to mark World Tourism Day, the report highlighted the region’s strong digital readiness, noting that all GCC nations scored at least 60 points on the Mobile App Development Index, laying the groundwork for smarter, highly connected tourism services.
The statistical center projected that the tourism sector’s contribution to the GCC’s gross domestic product will reach approximately $365.7 billion by 2035, while generating an estimated 5.8 million jobs. The report also underscored recent regional growth, revealing that overall arrivals reached 75.7 million in 2025, generating $131.9 billion in revenues. Intra-GCC travel also saw a steady rise, with more than 20 million tourists traveling between member states, supported by a growing network of over 12,400 hotel establishments.
