The tourism sector in Qatar has witnessed remarkable growth, driven by the success of organizing the 2022 FIFA World Cup and tourism integration efforts.
In a dialogue session entitled “From the Gulf to the World: The Future of Tourism” within the activities of the Qatar Economic Forum 2024, Saad bin Ali Al Kharji, President of Qatar Tourism, reviewed the positive developments witnessed by the tourism sector in the Gulf region, especially after the resounding success of the 2022 World Cup, which highlighted Highlighting the region’s rich culture and heritage, it strengthened its position as a global tourist destination.
Al-Kharji pointed out that Qatar received more than 4 million visitors in 2023, an increase of 58.4% over the previous year, and the number of visitors during the first four months of 2024 exceeded 2 million visitors.
He stressed the importance of tourism in creating job opportunities, stressing the need to continue developing infrastructure and tourism experiences to keep pace with this rapid growth.
Also Read: Abu Dhabi Investment Authority is interested in acquiring an Indian restaurant company
Regarding the resilience of the tourism sector, Al-Kharji highlighted its ability to adapt to economic and geopolitical challenges, citing the rapid recovery that the sector witnessed globally and regionally after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Al-Kharji touched on Gulf tourism integration efforts, pointing to the progress made in developing the unified Gulf visa, and to the fruitful cooperation between Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in launching the “Double Discovery” campaign to enhance the experience of visitors in both countries.
In a related context, Al-Kharji discussed the relationship between tourism and sustainability, stressing the importance of achieving economic and environmental sustainability at the same time. He gave examples of Qatar’s efforts to preserve wildlife and the environment, such as protecting the whale shark and the oryx, and integrating these efforts into tourism experiences.
