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MUSCAT/WAM
The number of hotel establishments across Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries exceeded 11,200 in 2024, up 1.3 percent from the previous year, according to data released by the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf (GCC-Stat).
The total number of hotel rooms reached about 711,500, marking a 0.2 percent increase compared with the previous year.
GCC-Stat said the figures reflected continued expansion in tourism infrastructure across the region, driven by major hotel projects and the growth of tourism facilities, strengthening the competitiveness of the Gulf tourism sector and its ability to attract more tourists and investment in the coming years.
The centre’s “Tourism Trends in the GCC Countries 2024” report highlighted strong growth in the Gulf tourism sector, reflecting the sector’s recovery and reinforcing its position as one of the vital economic sectors supporting economic diversification in the GCC countries.
According to the report, international tourist arrivals to GCC countries reached around 72.2 million in 2024, up 51.5 percent compared with 2019 and 6.1 percent higher than in 2023.
International tourism revenues in the GCC countries also increased to approximately US$120.2 billion, achieving growth of 39.6 percent compared to 2019, and 8.9 percent compared to 2023, reflecting the growing appeal of Gulf destinations globally.
In addition, intra-GCC tourism accounted for approximately 41.3 percent of the total international tourists, recording a growth of 61.2 percent compared to 2019, and an increase of 1.2 percent compared to 2023, underscoring the importance of regional tourism integration and mobility in supporting the sector.