Qatar’s high level of safety has also been a major factor in an influx of tourists, with a record number already being registered in the first two months of the year.
Doha has been rated as one of the top ten safest tourist destinations in the world, a recent survey by a UK-based security training marketplace found.
Five of the top 10 travel destinations are in Asia, including Kyoto, Taipei, Singapore, Tokyo, and Doha.
Various safety metrics, such as crime and homicide rates, public confidence in law enforcement, and concerns about being mugged or robbed, were used to rank cities by Get Licensed. It collected data from 100 of the most popular tourist destinations worldwide.
Doha achieved a World Vacation Safety Score of 7.56, which tied it with Ljubljana (Slovenia) for tenth place. The Gulf city had one of the lowest homicide rates worldwide, with just 0.42 murders per 100,000 people.
In contrast to the 82.37% of respondents who said they feel safe going alone at night, just 8.94% of those polled stated they were concerned about being robbed or mugged. With a 7.92 rating in the category of police dependability, the city was rated as the safest in the Global Terrorism Index.
The top five cities were Reykjavik, Bern, Bergen, Kyoto, and Taipei. Doha was joined in the top ten by Singapore, Copenhagen, Salzburg, Tokyo. According to the poll, the least safe tourist locations worldwide were Manila, New Delhi, Mexico City, Lagos, and Lima.
Separately, Doha was named one of the safest places for “solo women travelers” by a UK-based search engine for vacation rentals, last year.
It was the only location within the region to make the list of 50 of the safest cities for women to travel alone, according to Holidu.
The Gulf country’s excellent safety record has also played a key role in its significant visitor influx.
Also, Qatar secured the top spot for this year’s Numbeo Crime Index for the safest country in the world, dominating the chart for the fifth year running. The country has topped this index in the past five years with an interruption from Japan in 2018.
Safety at Qatar 2022
Last year witnessed one of the highest numbers of international visitors stepping into the country thanks to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Safety was an overarching theme during the major tournament, an element that granted last year’s tournament, hosted for the first time in an Arab and Muslim country, the title of the ‘best World Cup in history’.
Security was a central element in the decade-long preparation for the World Cup, which saw Qatar partner with defence entities from several countries in the region and beyond.
The World Cup in Qatar was widely praised for its security and safety, in which a friendly atmosphere allowed for families to attend without concerns.
Qatari authorities implemented a ban on the sale of alcohol near or in football stadiums, a move that received praise across communities, particularly families and women.
Female fans attending the tournament also said the move helped alleviate the hostile atmosphere associated with the game. As a result, British Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the UK should “drop ideas of reintroducing alcohol in the stands” in light of the fan experience in Qatar.
The atmosphere in Qatar was “passionate but friendly”, Robert, who oversees football policing in the UK, said during the World Cup 2022, The Times reported at the time.
Speaking to Doha News during the tournament, fans said they felt “extremely” safe particularly when compared to previous World Cups where they were “too afraid” to hold their belongings in their hands freely.
Fans also said they were not worried about wearing bags on their backs as they were content that pickpocketing would not occur in Qatar.
An international spectator told Doha News that he would not hesitate to take a walk in the streets of Qatar during the night due to how safe he feels in the country.