Qatar has more events lined up even after the end of the AFC Asian Cup on February 10, ranging from sports, culture, and technology.
Qatar is set to become one of the fastest-growing tourism destinations in the Middle East through major investments in the sector, the Chairman of Qatar Tourism, Saad bin Ali bin Saad Al Kharji, told the local press on Sunday.
Al Kharji underlined the major developments in Doha’s tourism sector, noting that the country “possesses all elements of tourist attraction that best suit a variety of cultures,” as cited by the Qatar news agency (QNA).
Qatar is working towards achieving its goal of receiving six million tourists by 2030 under a national strategy that seeks to increase the sector’s contribution to the gross domestic product from 7% to 12%.
In mentioning Qatar’s tourism milestones, Al Kharji said the country received 702,800 visitors in January alone with the hosting of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 which has attracted fans from all over the world.
The extension of the Hayya Card, initially introduced as a fan visa during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, benefitted tourists visiting Qatar for the Asian Cup.
The large number of tourists comes after Qatar wrapped up a successful year in 2023 by welcoming more than four million visitors, marking the highest figure in five years, according to QNA.
The launch of the third National Development Strategy 2024-2030 last month, the final stage in achieving the objectives of the Qatar National Vision 2030, placed great emphasis on tourism.
“The aforementioned strategy has identified tourism as the major sector within the combination of economic diversity elements intended to achieve sustainable economic growth,” Al Kharji said.
Qatar Tourism is also working towards developing the sector of meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions to further achieve its goals in the tourism sector.
The participation in international trade exhibitions, establishing a hotline for tourists, and creating e-service to streamline the browsing of calendar events are part of the tourism sector’s strategies.
Qatar has more events lined up even after the end of the AFC Asian Cup on February 10, ranging from sports, culture, and technology.
Such events include the Web Summit, scheduled to run from February 26-29, gathering tech experts and famous media figures, namely Trevor Noah. The event stands as one of the most important technology conferences globally and the edition in Qatar is the first to take place in the MENA region.
Another key event is the renowned annual Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition, set to take place between February 5-11.
Beyond being a host of major events, Qatar’s position as one of the safest countries in the world attracts tourists.
Qatar has been ranked as the “Safest Country in the World” on the Numbeo Crime Index for five consecutive years and the capital, Doha, ranked as one of the safest cities on a global scale.
This also falls under the Qatar National Vision 2030, which aims to create a “safe, secure and stable society based on effective institutions.”
Doha was named as the Arab Tourism Capital for 2023.
