Saudi Arabia’s Business Travel Boosted Middle East’s 2025 Growth
The Middle East’s travel and tourism sector grew 5.3% in 2025, outpacing the global average of 4.1%, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council’s latest Economic Impact Research released on Monday.
The Middle East contributed $385.8 billion to World GDP, supported 7.1 million jobs, and saw international visitor spending rise 5.2% during 2025, nearly double the global rate of 3.2%.
Within the global travel and tourism landscape, the Middle East ranks second on the list in terms of growth.
While the region can celebrate strong 2025 numbers, just months later, the outlook is significantly different. The Iran war is costing the Middle East an estimated $600 million a day in international visitor spending, the WTTC reported in March.
That month, Oxford Economics estimated th
