Qatar welcomes 4mn visitors in 2023 - a 5-year high

Qatar has crossed the 4mn visitor mark in 2023, exceeding the annual visitor numbers of the past five years.Announced by Qatar Tourism, the latest figures highlight the positive momentum of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the country’s ongoing efforts and initiatives to promote its tourism sector.Earlier this year, Qatar announced the seamless operation of the Hayya platform to unify and simplify visa processes for travellers who require a visa to enter Qatar. These efforts complement Qatar’s already open travel policies which see 95 countries granted visa on arrival. In addition, Qatar’s year-long calendar of events and captivating marketing campaigns have supported the increased tourism figures.Saad bin Ali al-Kharji, chairman of Qatar Tourism, said: "Qatar continues to demonstrate its appeal as a global tourism destination with its expanded tourism infrastructure, safety, and authentic Arabian hospitality."Qatar’s diverse tourism offering, with its 500km of pristine coastline, world-class museums, and cultural and contemporary destinations, combine to make for a unique and compelling holiday that can be tailored to suit travellers from the region and internationally. New developments in Qatar’s tourism sector are ongoing, creating even further opportunities for growth.”Since the beginning of 2023, leading Qatar’s tourism figures are visitors from Saudi Arabia (25.3% of total international arrivals), followed by India (10.4%), Germany (4.1%), the UK (3.9%), and Kuwait (3.5%). To date, 85% of visitors chose to arrive by air, followed by land (14%), and sea (1%).In October of last year, Qatar inaugurated the first international debut of the renowned Geneva International Motor Show, which saw 1,000 journalists and 180,000 visitors over 10 days.It also launched the 2023/24 cruise season, which welcomed 81 cruises and 350,000 passengers, surpassing the 2022/23 cruise season, which saw 54 cruises and a total of 253,191 visitors, making it the country’s biggest cruise season yet.Looking ahead in 2024, Qatar is set to host more than 80 unique events from sports championships, cultural events, world-class exhibitions, shopping festivals and international summits.Some of the biggest 2024 events are the AFC Asian Cup, Shop Qatar, Doha Jewellery and Exhibition, (DJWE), Katara International Arabian Horse Festival, Annual Qatar Economic Forum, Formula 1 Grand Prix 2024, Autonomous e-mobility Forum, and the world’s biggest technology conference, Web Summit.For the full list of 2024 events, visit www.visitqatar.com.Ends