The total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the GCC states at current prices rose 3 percent to $588.1 billion in the first quarter of 2025 from $570.9 billion a year earlier, data from the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC-Stat) showed on Monday.
The contribution of Saudi Arabia's private sector to the gross domestic product (GDP) has doubled in ten years, rising from SAR1.1 trillion ($293.31 billion) in 2016 to about SAR2.3 trillion ($613.28 billion) today, said Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih.
The UAE tourism sector delivered a robust performance last year, with its contribution to the national GDP rising to 15 per cent, compared to six per cent in 2021, said Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism.
Dubai’s economy continued its upward trajectory in 2025, delivering strong growth that underscores its resilience and sustained momentum. Its economy expanded for the first nine months to hit AED355 billion, up 4.7% over the previous year, said a report.
Saudi Arabia has become a major global player in tourism, with the sector now contributing approximately 5% of the kingdom’s GDP and accounting for nearly 5% of total employment, said Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
