Middle East Travel & Tourism Soars as Saudi Arabia Fuels Growth at Nearly Twice the Global Rate and Leads the Region

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) today revealed that the Middle East is experiencing strong Travel & Tourism growth, with the sector expanding by 5.3% in 2025, outpacing the global average of 4.1% and reinforcing the region’s position as one of the world’s most dynamic travel markets.

WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Research (EIR), a leading global study of Travel & Tourism performance, highlights the region’s strong performance across key indicators, including international visitor spending, domestic travel, and business travel.

Middle East shows strong growth momentum

Travel & Tourism in the Middle East continues to outperform, with growth exceeding the global average and also surpassing the wider regional economy. International visitor spending rose 5.2%, compared to 3.2% globally, reflecting strong demand and increasing global connectivity.

The region’s Travel & Tourism sector contributed $385.8 billion to GDP in 2025, supporting 7.1 million jobs, underlining its growing economic importance.

Saudi Arabia drives regional momentum

At the heart of this growth is Saudi Arabia, the largest Travel & Tourism economy in the region, accounting for $178 billion in GDP and 46% of the Middle East’s total Travel & Tourism economy.

The Kingdom continues to deliver standout performance, with Travel & Tourism GDP growing 7.4% in 2025, nearly double the global sector growth rate of 4.1%, and around 40% higher than the regional Middle East average of 5.3%.

International visitor spending also rose 8.2%, significantly outperforming the global average of 3.2%, further underlining Saudi Arabia’s growing appeal as a leading global destination and its position as a leader in the region.

Business travel has been a particularly strong driver, with spending increasing by over 55%, highlighting Saudi Arabia’s growing role as a global hub for business, events, and investment.

Alongside Saudi Arabia, other markets across the region are also delivering strong performance. The UAE’s Travel & Tourism sector reached $68.5 billion in GDP in 2025, with international visitor spending of $56.9 billion, reflecting its position as a major global hub. Jordan recorded 5.5% growth in Travel & Tourism GDP, with international visitor spending reaching $8.5 billion, while Oman also saw strong growth of 5.5%, alongside international visitor spending of $4.0 billion, highlighting continued momentum in 2025 across key GCC and regional markets. 

Business travel powers growth

Across the Middle East, business travel is accelerating rapidly, with spending rising 23% in 2025, making it one of the strongest-performing segments in the sector’s growth.

This growth reflects increased demand for in-person engagement, alongside the region’s expanding role in hosting major international events, conferences, and investment activity.

Against the backdrop of recent regional challenges, the Middle East’s Travel & Tourism sector continues to demonstrate exceptional resilience, with recovery expected to be swift once long term stability returns to the region. Supported by strong fundamentals, sustained investment, and its strategic role in global connectivity, the region remains well positioned to maintain its growth trajectory.

Unlocking continued long term growth

WTTC’s research highlights that sustained investment in infrastructure, connectivity, and destination development, alongside a focus on high-value travel and business tourism, will be critical to maintaining this momentum over time.

By continuing to strengthen public-private collaboration and enhance the overall travel ecosystem, countries across the region are well positioned to further increase visitor spending, create jobs, and drive long-term economic growth.

Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC, said: “The Middle East continued to deliver strong Travel & Tourism growth in 2025, with Saudi Arabia playing a central role in driving this success and emerging as a leader in the region, with growth nearly double the global average.

The Middle East’s performance in 2025 highlighted the strength and long-term potential of Travel & Tourism, with the sector continuing to act as a key driver of economic growth, job creation, and international connectivity across the region.”

Note to Editors:

The figures in EIR 2026 are based on 2025 real prices and exchange rates, whereas EIR 2025 used 2024 real prices and exchange rates, meaning headline figures are not directly comparable. In addition, the 2025 data published in April 2025 was a forecast finalised before the year concluded, and all historical figures are subject to revision as updated Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSAs) become available.

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^{About WTTC:}

^{The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is the global, private-sector voice of the Travel & Tourism industry. Its members include the Chairmen/women, Presidents and Chief Executives of the world’s leading travel and tourism companies, spanning airlines, hotels, cruise lines, tour operators, technology firms and more. Through this unified membership, WTTC works with governments and international institutions to drive sustainable growth, support exports, create jobs, and deliver prosperity globally.}  

^{For more than three decades, WTTC has championed the economic and social contribution of Travel & Tourism. Its rigorous, data-driven research quantifies the sector’s impact — on GDP, employment, exports and wider societal benefits — helping shape policies, raise awareness, and foster public-private collaboration. www.wttc.org}