Ambitious target for Qatar's tourism industry

According to latest report, in 2025, tourism and hospitality industry in Qatar is expected to reach $7.2bn

If Qatar's National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030 plan works as expected, the peninsular Arab country will welcome 4 million visitors by 2020, following $40-45bn tourism and hospitality investments.

According to 2015 officials figures presented during Arabian Travel Market (ATM) this year, travel and tourism contributed $4.6bn in 2015, registering a 7.3 per cent rise when compared to the previous year.

ATM Exhibition Manager Nadege Noblet-Segers commented:

“Looking further ahead, this is expected to grow annually by 4.7%, to reach $7.2bn in 2025 as Qatar works towards its strategic goal of positioning itself as a ‘world-class hub with deep cultural roots’, by creating a high profile product that will appeal to all market segments from cultural tourists and families to sports fans and business travellers.

“As we are seeing in other GCC countries, an increasingly diversified tourism portfolio requires an equally broad hospitality offering, looking at both the luxury and mid-range categories, which is something that we are focusing on this year at ATM with midmarket travel our spotlight theme.”

Residents from GCC supported the country's tourism sector, as they accounted for 45.2 per cent of total visitor numbers. 1.400 hotel rooms were opened to the market in 2015, explaining the tourism boost Qatar experienced. Moreover, 50.000 rooms will be build here to host FIFA World Cup 2022 visitors.