3 Gulf cities rank among world’s tourism growth hotspots in 2026

Three Gulf cities have entered the world’s top 10 destinations for growth in international travel intent in 2026, with Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, and Doha in Qatar, driving Western Asia’s surge, according to global travel intelligence firm Mabrian.

Mabrian’s analysis, which tracks global air capacity and flight searches to the top 50 airports in each world region and covers 86.7% of international demand, shows Western Asia (including the Gulf states) strengthening its position in early 2026 and capturing 8.9% of total international inspirational demand in the first half of the year, the strongest upward trend worldwide.

Within the GCC, Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, together with Doha in Qatar, are among just five cities worldwide to have seen a “significant increase” in market share, with Jeddah placing fifth globally for growth in travel demand, followed by Doha (ninth) and Riyadh (10th). Muscat in Oman and Kuwait City also post notable increases in market share.

Alongside rising search demand, GCC countries are increasing international air capacity by 3.6% over the next six months compared with the same period last year. Key source markets feeding this growth include the UK (up 5.6%), the US (up 3.3%) and Germany and Russia (both up 7.2%), underlining strong airline confidence in Gulf demand.

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Despite recent protests and unrest in Iran, global travel intent toward Western Asia and GCC destinations remains stable in the first quarter of 2026. Mabrian notes a brief dip in market share in February followed by a rebound in March that slightly exceeds last year’s levels, highlighting the resilience of demand for Gulf destinations.

Commenting on the findings, Carlos Cendra, Director of Marketing and Communications at Mabrian said that the GCC region’s growth was underpinned by both well-established hubs, such as Dubai and Doha, and emerging destinations. “Countries across the GCC are increasingly attracting travellers from Europe, Asia, and North America, with destinations such as Riyadh, Doha, and Muscat emerging as must-visit gateways," he added.