In the first two months of 2023, Qatar experienced a surge in tourism with 730,000 visitors, which is a 347% increase from the previous year.
The numbers show that 340,000 international visitors arrived in January 2023, a 295% increase compared to the previous year, while February 2023 recorded 389,000 visitors, marking a 406% increase from the same period in 2022.
The month of February had the highest number of international arrivals in Qatar over the past decade, except during the FIFA World Cup 2022, making it the busiest month for tourism in the country. Qatar’s high safety record, efficient public transport, beautiful beaches, and cultural sites have established it as a leading tourism destination, attracting visitors from all around the world.
Doha, the Arab Tourism Capital of the year, also hosted numerous world-class sporting events in the first two months of the year, including the GKA Freestyle Kite World Cup 2023, Qatar TotalEnergies Open, and Qatar ExxonMobil Open.
Chief Operating Officer at Qatar Tourism Berthold Trenkel said: “We are excited to see the progress we have made towards achieving our 2030 strategy, which aims to welcome 6-7 million visitors annually, increase employment in the sector and have tourism account for 12 percent of the country’s GDP.
“Our performance also highlights Qatar’s growing reputation as a world-class destination for travellers seeking unique experiences and is a testament to the success of our ‘Feel Winter in Qatar’ campaign and ‘Feel More’ brand.”
The celebrations of Kuwait National Day and Saudi Founding Day in the second half of February led to a significant increase in the number of visitors arriving from both countries.
Specifically, there were 86,000 arrivals from Saudi Arabia and 20,000 arrivals from Kuwait, which together constituted 73 percent of all arrivals from the GCC and 27 percent of all international arrivals in February.
Saudi Arabia stood as the biggest contributor, representing 22 percent of total visitors to the Peninsula in January and February 2023.
