Measuring Tourism's Economic Contribution: Key Insights From GCC Statistical Centre Workshop

The Gulf Cooperation Council Statistical Centre (GCC-Stat) hosted a regional workshop on 12 October 2025, focusing on 'Measuring the Contribution of Tourism to the Economy.' The event highlighted the need for comprehensive methodologies to accurately assess tourism's impact on GCC economies. This approach aids in creating effective policies based on reliable data, offering a clearer understanding of tourism's role in economic support.

Salim bin Mohammed Al Mahrouqi, Omani Minister of Heritage and Tourism, emphasised the importance of accurate statistical systems. He noted that these systems are crucial for measuring tourism's real contribution to GDP and the national economy. The workshop served as a platform for sharing experiences and harmonising statistical methods among GCC states.

Intisar bint Abdullah Al Wahaibi, Director General of GCC-Stat, reported significant growth in the GCC tourism sector. In 2024, international tourists increased by 51.5% from 2019, reaching 72.2 million visitors. Tourism revenues hit $119.6 billion, accounting for 7.5% of global market share. This growth reflects the region's efforts to enhance its tourism sector and competitiveness.

Al Wahaibi highlighted that ambitious policies and strategic visions have driven this progress. These efforts focus on developing infrastructure, diversifying experiences, and hosting major global events. Such initiatives have positioned the region as an attractive destination on the international tourism map.

The workshop explored concepts and frameworks for measuring tourism according to international standards. It discussed linking statistical data with administrative records related to visitors and expenditure. Integrating national data sources is vital for assessing both direct and indirect impacts of tourism on GDP and employment.

Samer Ibrahim Al Khraishi from UN Tourism stressed that developing measurement systems is essential for decision-making. He noted that tourism statistics now serve as strategic tools for measuring economic, social, and environmental impacts. These insights guide investments towards sustainable development.

Regional Cooperation and Capacity Building

The sessions reviewed national experiences in preparing Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSA) within GCC countries. Participants discussed ways to enhance these accounts in line with ongoing economic transformations in the region. Harmonising concepts across GCC countries was deemed crucial for building a reliable data infrastructure.

The workshop introduced the GCC Tourism Statistics Platform, offering integrated economic and tourism data. This platform supports stakeholders in making informed decisions based on real insights into markets, spending, investments, and employment within the sector.

Al Khraishi mentioned that UN Tourism is advancing TSA systems globally to measure tourism's true contribution to GDP, employment, and investment. The organisation is also launching a Statistical Framework for Measuring Sustainability (SF-MST), integrating economic, social, and environmental dimensions.

Future Prospects

The global tourism sector continues its recovery with international arrivals reaching around 690 million in early 2025—a 5% increase from last year. Growth is expected to persist at a rate between 3% and 5%. GCC countries welcomed over 75 million visitors in 2024—an 11% rise from the previous year.

The workshop underscored investing in national capacity-building and adopting modern technologies like big data for analysis. Strengthening cooperation with GCC-Stat aims to develop a unified regional approach to tourism statistics through training programmes and workshops.

With inputs from WAM