Middle East Tourism in 2024: Who Saw The Most Growth?
Photo Credit: An image of Dubai with desert in the foreground. Adobe Stock / Adrian Ilie
Skift Take
Despite tensions all around it, the Middle East had another good year for tourism. Jordan was an exception to that, but its tourism minister remains hopeful for the future.
Despite ongoing regional tensions in the region, the majority of Middle East and North African countries continued to post gains last year. Among the most visited countries, only Jordan saw a decrease in 2024.
In the Gulf, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Dubai continued their tourism pushes, while in North Africa, Morocco overtook Egypt as the most-visited country in the region.
Here's a look at the 2024 international tourism numbers across some of the Middle East's most visited countries.
Qatar: 25% IncreaseQatar saw five million international tourists in 2024, a 25% year-on-year improvement, according to the latest data from Qatar Tourism.
Nationals from countries in the GCC – Gulf Cooperation Council – made up 41% of visitors, with the remaining 59% from international markets. Key source markets included Saudi Arabia, India, United Kingdom, Germany, and the U.S.
Saad Bin Ali Al Kharji, chairman of Qatar Tourism said in a statem
