Latest news with #GulfTourismStrategy
Trade Arabia
21-02-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
GCC attracted 68.1m international visitors in 2023
GCC countries welcomed 68.1 million international visitors in 2023, with tourism revenues amounting to $110.4 billion for the same year, according to GCC Secretary General Jasem Albudaiwi. The vistor numbers saw a growth rate of 42.8% compared to 2019, achieving 52.9% of the GCC's 2030 targets. Albudaiwi emphasised, accrding to a GCC General Secretariat press release, that the approval of projects under the Gulf Tourism Strategy 2023–2030 aims to enhance the tourism position of the GCC countries regionally and internationally. This initiative aligns with the directives of the leaders of the GCC countries, and is supported by the efforts of the Committee of Their Excellencies Ministers Responsible for Tourism in the GCC. Albudaiwi made these remarks during a speech at the 9th meeting of the Committee of Their Excellencies Ministers Responsible for Tourism in the GCC, held in Kuwait. The meeting was chaired by Minister of Information and Culture and Minister of State for Youth Affairs in Kuwait Abdul Rahman Badah Al Mutairi, President of the current session. The Secretary-General expressed pride in the remarkable achievements of Gulf countries, which enhance their standing on the international stage and reaffirm the GCC's commitment to a prosperous future for the region's tourism sector. "Additionally, tourism revenues amounted to $110.4 billion for 2023, with a growth rate of 28.2% compared to 2019, marking a significant leap that exceeded all expectations, achieving 58.7% of the 2030 target of $188 billion. The market share of the GCC countries in global tourism stood at 5.2% for arrivals and 7.2% for international tourism revenues, solidifying their position as a key hub in the global tourism scene," he said. In terms of GDP contribution, Albudaiwi confirmed that the tourism sector made a notable economic contribution of $223.4 billion to the GCC's GDP, with an annual growth rate of 29.4% between 2022 and 2023. Additionally, the tourism sector added 1.5 million jobs in 2023, with a growth rate of 17% compared to 2020, he pointed out.
Zawya
19-02-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Saudi Arabia affirms commitment to joint work toward building a future for GCC tourism
KUWAIT CITY — Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb participated in the ninth meeting of the ministers of tourism in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Al-Khateeb expressed Saudi Arabia's aspiration to move forward with more joint programs between GCC countries, such as the Gulf Tourism Strategy and the Unified Tourist Visa. The minister affirmed Saudi Arabia's firm commitment to joint work toward building a bright future for Gulf tourism and its aspiration to achieve new successes that enhance the position of the GCC countries globally. The meeting discussed the development of tourism in GCC countries, which enjoy prosperity, security and stability, in addition to their advanced infrastructure to host various tourism events. It also discussed the exchange of statistics and information, training and development, and inter-tourism. Saudi Arabia has launched several joint programs with Bahrain, Oman and Qatar, which have contributed to increasing the number of tourists and visitors to the region, in addition to creating job opportunities and increasing revenue. © Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Saudi Gazette
18-02-2025
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia affirms commitment to joint work toward building a future for GCC tourism
Saudi Gazette report KUWAIT CITY — Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb participated in the ninth meeting of the ministers of tourism in the Gulf Cooperation Council expressed Saudi Arabia's aspiration to move forward with more joint programs between GCC countries, such as the Gulf Tourism Strategy and the Unified Tourist Visa. The minister affirmed Saudi Arabia's firm commitment to joint work toward building a bright future for Gulf tourism and its aspiration to achieve new successes that enhance the position of the GCC countries meeting discussed the development of tourism in GCC countries, which enjoy prosperity, security and stability, in addition to their advanced infrastructure to host various tourism also discussed the exchange of statistics and information, training and development, and inter-tourism. Saudi Arabia has launched several joint programs with Bahrain, Oman and Qatar, which have contributed to increasing the number of tourists and visitors to the region, in addition to creating job opportunities and increasing revenue.
Asharq Al-Awsat
18-02-2025
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
GCC Secretary-General: 68 Million Tourists Visited Gulf Countries in 5 Years
Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi has said that the number of tourists arriving in the Gulf countries between 2019 and 2023 reached 68.1 million, with tourism revenues amounting to $110.4 billion. Albudaiwi said the approval of projects under the Gulf Tourism Strategy 2023–2030 aims to enhance the tourism position of the GCC countries regionally and internationally. This initiative aligns with the directives of the leaders of the GCC countries. Albudaiwi was speaking at the 9th meeting of the GCC ministers of tourism held on Monday in Kuwait. The meeting was chaired by Minister of Information and Culture and Minister of State for Youth Affairs in Kuwait Abdul Rahman Badah Al Mutairi, President of the current session. The Secretary-General expressed pride in the remarkable achievements of Gulf countries, which enhance their standing on the international stage and reaffirm the GCC's commitment to a prosperous future for the region's tourism sector. Albudaiwi noted that international tourist arrivals in the GCC reached 68.1 million by 2023, a growth rate of 42.8% compared to 2019, achieving 52.9% of the GCC's 2030 targets.
Zawya
18-02-2025
- Business
- Zawya
68.1mln international tourists visited Gulf countries in 2023: GCC Secretary-General
Kuwait: Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jassim Mohammed Al Budaiwi, announced that the number of international tourists coming to the GCC countries reached 68.1 million tourists in 2023, with a growth rate of 42.8 percent compared to 2019. During his speech at the ninth meeting of the GCC ministers of tourism, held in Kuwait, Al Budaiwi explained that the value of tourism revenues for the GCC countries amounted to $110.4 billion for the year 2023, with a growth rate of 28.2 percent compared to 2019. He pointed out that the GCC countries recorded qualitative leaps that exceeded all expectations, by achieving 58.7 percent of the 2030 target of $188 billion, noting that the market share of the Gulf countries in global tourism amounted to 5.2 percent, which It consolidates its position as a major hub in the global tourism scene. At the level of added value to the GDP, Al Budaiwi stressed that the tourism sector achieved a significant economic contribution of $223.4 billion to the GCC countries' GDP, with a remarkable annual growth rate of 29.4 percent between 2022 and 2023, adding that the tourism sector provided 1.5 million jobs during 2023, with a growth rate of 17 percent compared to 2020. The Secretary-General of the GCC pointed out that the approval of the implementation of projects within the Gulf Tourism Strategy (2023 - 2030) comes to enhance the tourism status of the GCC countries regionally and internationally, and in accordance with the lofty directives of Their Majesties and Highnesses, the leaders of the GCC countries, and then thanks to the efforts of the Committee of Their Excellencies and Highnesses, the Ministers Responsible for Tourism in the GCC countries. © Dar Al Sharq Press, Printing and Distribution. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
