Introduction
Summer has always fueled travel in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)—from spiritual pilgrimages to today’s luxury escapes across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman.
The GCC outbound travel and tourism market reached US$ 70.5 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a 7.1% CAGR to reach US$ 138.1 billion by 2033 (IMARC Group), driven by rising incomes fueling luxury demand, visa relaxations (e.g., GCC’s unified tourist visa), and a 60% surge in visitors to visa-free destinations like Greece (Connecting Travel).
“GCC travelers are redefining luxury tourism, blending opulence with authenticity,” says Elena Petrova, Director of Global Tourism Partnerships at Visit Dubai.
Published by MEmob+, this blog leverages our proprietary AdTech and AllPings’ location-based SaaS platform to unveil 2025 GCC travel insights.
We outline strategies for sectors such as hospitality, retail, aviation, QSR, and entertainment to target in-market and intended tourists, utilizing methodologies such as isoline mapping, geotargeting, geofencing, psychographic segmentation, and deterministic audience building to drive conversions.
Why Summer 2025 Is Your $70.5B Opportunity
Cultural drivers Include School holidays and mega-events such as Riyadh Season and Dubai Summer Surprises.
Policy enablers: The GCC’s upcoming unified tourist visa, along with a 60% surge in travelers to visa-free destinations like Greece (Connecting Travel).
Market potential: 6.2 million Middle Eastern tourists visit Europe annually (UNWTO).
Affluent spending: GCC travelers spend $2,000–$3,500 per trip (Source: Visit Dubai, 2024 Tourism Report).
Travel surge: Outbound tourism projected to rise 15.2% YoY in summer 2025.
How Marketers Can Capitalize
Aligning with Cultural Moments: Tap festivals like Qatar’s food events or Dubai’s shopping sales to capture festive spending.
Targeting Families/Households: 55% of travelers vacation with their spouses, and 20% with children, driving demand for family-friendly offerings (GlobalData).
Prioritize Luxury and Sustainability: 58% seek transformative experiences, and 30% are willing to pay a premium for eco-lodges or private villas (Sabre), reflecting ecotourism’s 14.31% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) (Fortune Business Insights).
2025 GCC Travel Buyer Insights
Holiday Budgets Increase Year-On-Year (Statista):
- +78% (UAE)
- +72% (KSA)
Trip Duration:
- Average trip duration: 15 nights, with 35% lasting 17+ nights.
- 32% of Saudis opt for extended holidays (three weeks or more) (Roland Berger).
Travel Companions:
- 55% travel with spouses.
- 20% with children.
- 5% solo.
Booking Behavior, Preferences & Trends:
- 70% book flights online, 68% book accommodations online (Kody Technolab)
- 58% prioritize transformative experiences.
- 30% prefer private villas or eco-lodges.
- 28% plan at least one overseas trip annually.
- 66% Hotels, 26% Airbnb/short-term rentals
- 72% book via travel agencies, 55% use mobile devices.
- 68% favor 5-star hotels, 20% choose 4-star hotels.
Payment Mode:
- 60% use credit cards, while 28% prefer digital wallets or cash.
Top Destinations for GCC Travelers
GCC travelers seek destinations blending luxury, culture, and nature. Based on Connecting Travel’s 2024 Outbound Report, the top five are:
Switzerland: Alpine vistas and wellness retreats.
- UAE: 38%
- Saudi Arabia: 36%
- Qatar/Kuwait: 14%
- Bahrain/Oman: 8%.
Spain: Beaches, history, and gastronomy.
- 120,000 Saudi tourists
- 150,000 UAE tourists annually.
Greece: Ancient sites and visa-free islands.
- 60% surge in GCC visitors post-visa waiver.
Egypt: Pyramids and Red Sea resorts.
- 30 million searches from GCC travelers (Jan–Jul 2024).
Morocco: Souks and cultural richness.
- 12.5 million tourists in 2024 (GlobalData).
Traveler Distribution
- UAE: 55%
- KSA: 25%
- Qatar: 6%
- Bahrain: 4%
- Oman: 3%
Vacation Interests Driving Demand
GCC travelers are diverse, with passions shaping their journeys (Ciklum):
- Food (25%): From Michelin-starred dining in Spain to tagines in Morocco.
- Sightseeing (12%): Landmarks like Egypt’s Pyramids.
- Adventure (8%): Hiking in Switzerland’s Alps or desert safaris.
- Shopping (35%): Luxury malls in Dubai or Paris.
Top Luxury Experiences Travelers Seek In Dubai
Dubai continues to push the boundaries of luxury travel:
Luxury experiences in Dubai center around exclusivity and pushing boundaries.
Exclusive, Private dining on the helipad of the Burj Al Arab remains a bucket-list experience.
Desert safaris have evolved to include overnight glamping in climate-controlled luxury tents with personal chefs and astronomers.
Personalized Shopping experiences with high-end malls offering VIP shopping assistants and private lounges. The Dubai Mall’s Fashion Avenue provides personal styling sessions and after-hours shopping for elite clients.
Water-based luxury continues to draw travelers, from yacht cruises along Dubai Marina to the floating villas at Sea Palace by Kempinski.
Recent data indicate that luxury travelers are increasingly valuing rare experiences over material goods.
This shift has led to new offerings, such as hot air balloon breakfasts over the desert, Formula 1 driving experiences, and underwater suites at Atlantis, The Palm.
Case Study: MEmob+ Supercharges Saudi Tourism Ads Across International Markets!
Saudi Tourism, in collaboration with MEmob+, transformed cultural storytelling into a measurable global impact. Centered around Aya, a young Australian traveler, and Omar, her Saudi guide, the campaign connected international audiences to authentic Saudi experiences.
Objective: Increase engagement, identify potential international tourists, and drive traffic to the “Visit Saudi” website.
Challenge: Capture audience attention in crowded international travel markets and measure content viewability to optimize performance and gain higher engagement across diverse regions.
Strategy: MEmob+ utilized in-depth consumer insights and market analysis to identify France, Germany, and the USA as key markets. Video ads, like “Albaha Dream” and “Riyadh Dream,” were tailored to regional preferences and delivered on optimal days (e.g., Saturdays for France, Fridays for the USA) using predictive analytics.
Results by Market:
France: Highest completion rate (83.74%) and view-through rate (99.80%), with “The Albaha Dream”, which resonated the most with the French audience
Germany: “Albaha Dream” led with high completion rates. Impressions peaked on Fridays, and view-through rates on Mondays.
USA: Riyadh Dream led with a 76.45% completion rate; impressions peaked on Saturdays
Impact: Achieved 14x engagement increase, 3x reach growth, and boosted website traffic, solidifying Saudi Arabia as a must-explore global destination, proving MEmob+’s data-driven approach can capture summer 2025’s GCC travel surge.
Sector-Specific Strategies for In-Market and Intended Tourists
GCC travelers present a highly diverse set of motivations, including luxury, family, cultural, culinary, and adventure. To capture them effectively, brands need precision targeting and contextual relevance. Leveraging MEmob+ AdTech and AllPings location intelligence, campaigns can be designed to reach high-intent travelers at the right time, in the right place, with the right message.
Below, we outline strategies for key industries, informed by prior discussions on geomarketing and moment marketing (e.g., Dubai Shopping Festival, Summer Surprises, Back-to-School, Riyadh Season).
HOSPITALITY
Opportunity:
Luxury dominates GCC travel preferences, 68% favor 5-star hotels, while 30% seek private villas. Family travel (spouses and children) remains a core driver.
Strategy:
- Position all-inclusive family packages, wellness retreats, and private villas.
- Activate geo-fencing around airports, luxury malls, and travel booking zones to target travelers at key decision-making moments, delivering ads for “family-friendly Swiss chalets” or “secluded Greek villas.”
- Use audience segmentation to refine messaging. MEmob+’s psychographic data identifies luxury seekers (e.g., wellness seekers, adventure families) for precise targeting.
RETAIL
Opportunity:
Shopping remains a top motivator; 35% of GCC travelers prioritize retail experiences, particularly during seasonal events such as Dubai Summer Surprises and Riyadh Season.
Strategy:
- Deploy hyper-localized offers in high-traffic shopping zones. Target luxury shoppers by identifying peak shopping hours using AllPings’ heatmaps, enabling offers like “20% off luxury brands today.”
- Layer behavioral insights (luxury shoppers, bargain seekers, brand loyalists) with moment marketing during seasonal events.
- Enable real-time flash sales campaigns with dynamic creatives based on location and time of day.
AVIATION
Opportunity:
Travelers are increasingly digitally active, with 70% booking flights online and 55% using mobile devices. Extended holidays (32% of Saudis) increase demand for long-haul flights.
Strategy:
- Use geofarming to identify past international travelers and retarget them with flight and upgrade offers.
- Apply audience segmentation to distinguish between frequent flyers, family travelers, and leisure seekers.
- Deliver personalized deals (e.g., “Fly direct to Zurich” or “Premium upgrades to Spain”) with dynamic creative optimization.
QUICK SERVICE RESTAURANTS (QSR)
Opportunity:
Food ranks among the top travel drivers, with 25% of GCC travelers identifying as foodies. Summer’s cultural events and sports events amplify dining demand (e.g., Qatar’s food festivals).
Strategy:
- Activate geofences around event venues, airports, and tourist hubs to capture foot traffic with relevant QSR offers.
- Leverage MEmob+’s behavioral data to distinguish adventurous diners vs. family-oriented eaters for precise targeting.
- Introduce localized seasonal menus and highlight them through precision mobile ads targeting in-market travelers.
ENTERTAINMENT AND TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
Opportunity:
12% prioritize sightseeing, and 8% seek adventure, driving demand for theme parks, cultural sites, and outdoor activities.
Strategy:
- Use location intelligence to target travelers already within proximity to attractions with “last-mile” offers (e.g., skip-the-line, bundled tickets).
- Segment audiences by interest clusters: family fun, culture & heritage, adventure seekers.
- Deploy cross-channel campaigns (mobile, in-app) that guide tourists from awareness to on-site conversion.
Methodologies for Targeting High-Intent Travelers
Capturing GCC travelers, whether in-market (actively booking) or intended (showing early signals), requires precision, context, and timing.
With MEmob+ AdTech and AllPings’ location intelligence and audience activation, brands can build campaigns that anticipate intent and convert it into measurable action.
Audience Segmentation:
- Psychographic:
Segment based on interests using MEmob+’s behavioral data. For example, target “culinary travelers” searching “Middle Eastern cuisine” or “luxury shoppers” engaging with “Dubai retail deals.”
- Technographic:
Identify users on travel apps (e.g., Booking.com) or active on social platforms (e.g., TikTok, Snapchat), signaling trip planning.
- Geographic:
Use AllPings’ heatmaps to pinpoint high-traffic zones like malls, airports, or event venues (e.g., Riyadh Season).
- Demographic:
Focus on high-income GCC travelers (ages 25–45) who drive luxury and family travel demand.
Real-Time Geofencing:
- Trigger ads when travelers enter high-intent locations (e.g., DXB airport, High-end Luxury Malls, or event venues). Example: A hotel chain could promote “Exclusive villas in Greece” to travelers entering airport check-in zones.
Geofarming for Retargeting:
- AllPings’ geofarming captures data on past visitors to destinations. Retarget these audiences with tailored ads to increase conversion likelihood. Example: Retarget GCC travelers who visited Spain last summer with “Private Barcelona tours – tailored for you.”
Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO):
- MEmob+ dynamically adapts ad creatives in real-time to match audience profiles.
- Foodies → “Culinary tours in Morocco”
- Families → “Swiss chalets with kids’ activities”
- Luxury seekers → “Private eco-lodges in the Red Sea”
UniChannel Delivery:
- Deliver one consistent message across META, Snapchat, TikTok, programmatic in-app, and display networks.
- MEmob+’s DSP, Excelate, optimizes placements for maximum ROAS with minimum waste.
Predictive Analytics:
- AI models forecast where and when intent peaks by analyzing:
- Search patterns (e.g., “visa-free Greece travel”)
- Mobility data (footfall around airports, consulates, or malls)
- App usage signals (spikes on Booking.com or airline apps)
Example: A resort chain predicting a surge in UAE travelers for summer 2025 can launch early-bird villa campaigns ahead of competitor ads.
Measuring and Optimizing Campaigns
MEmob+ and AllPings provide AI-powered analytics to track performance:
- Demographics: Age, nationality, lifestyle interests (e.g., shopping, dining, wellness).
- Behavioral signals: App usage, mobility patterns, search intent.
- Performance outcomes: Click-through rates, conversions, ROAS, and footfall attribution.
- Optimization levers: Adjust frequency, targeting, or creative dynamically to improve viewability, engagement, and efficiency.
Your 2025 Advantage
By combining AdTech precision with location intelligence, AllPings turns Summer 2025 into a conversion engine. Brands in hospitality, retail, aviation, QSR, and entertainment can:
- Pinpoint and segment high-value audiences.
- Activate ads in high-intent zones at the right moment.
- Deliver personalized creatives across channels.
- Gain real-time visibility into outcomes that drive growth and maximize ROAS.
Sources:
- IMARC Group: GCC Outbound Tourism Market
- UNWTO: World Tourism Barometer 2024
- Statista: GCC Tourism Spending 2024
- Sabre: 2025 Travel Trends
- Connecting Travel: GCC Outbound Report 2024
- Fortune Business Insights: Ecotourism Market 2024
- Kody Technolab: Travel Tech Trends 2025
- Roland Berger: Saudi Tourism Outlook 2024
- GlobalData: GCC Tourism Insight 2025
- AllPings: Location Intelligence Case Studies
- MEmob+: AdTech Case Studies
