The Middle East’s travel sector is set for explosive growth, adding 400,000 jobs by 2025, boosting the economy, and reshaping the industry with unprecedented expansion.

The travel and tourism industry in the Middle East is forecast to generate 400,000 new jobs in 2025, bringing the total number of jobs in the sector to 7.7 million. This marks a 5.2 percent increase from 7.3 million jobs in 2024 and a 16.8 percent rise compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) latest Economic Impact Research report, developed in collaboration with Oxford Economics. The report suggests that 2025 will see exceptional growth in the sector.


Globally, the travel and tourism industry is projected to contribute $11.7 trillion to the economy in 2025, making up 10.3 percent of the world’s GDP. Travelers are expected to spend a record-breaking $2.1 trillion on international travel, surpassing the previous high of $1.9 trillion set in 2019. The total number of jobs supported by the sector worldwide is expected to grow by 14 million in 2025, reaching 371 million.