Qatar tourism arrivals hit 5.1m in 2025 as events and hospitality drive growth

Qatar Tourism and Visit Qatar delivered a strong performance and sustained strategic momentum in 2025, reinforcing Qatar’s position as a year-round tourism destination.

Total visitor arrivals increased 3.7 per cent to 5.1m, with 674,000 visitors welcomed in December alone, representing a near 16 per cent increase compared to the same month a year earlier.

Growth was driven by major international events, including the FIFA Arab Cup 2025.

The hospitality sector recorded solid growth across all key indicators during the year. A total of 10.8 million room nights were sold, up 8.6 per cent compared to 2024, while total accommodation revenue reached QR8.3bn ($2.27bn), representing a 12 per cent year-on-year increase.

More than 35 global strategic partnerships were activated in 2025, supported by over 95 integrated marketing campaigns across 19 international markets.

Qatar tourism growth

Qatar Calendar delivered more than 600 events during the year, while the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector welcomed over one million international business visitors. The sector also secured 14 international bids for events scheduled across 2026 and 2027.

The designation of Doha as the GCC Tourism Capital for 2026 further underlined the country’s regional tourism leadership.

Service quality remained a central priority with the launch of Taste of Qatar, under which up to 800 restaurants were inspected nationwide and approximately 150 awarded three-star certification. This was supported by the continued growth of the MICHELIN Guide Doha.

Workforce development also advanced at scale, with more than 55,600 Qatar Host and 13,000 Qatar Specialist programme completions delivered since 2022.

Digital enablement and operational readiness were strengthened through Hayya, which processed nearly one million e-visa applications and supported major events with more than 1.1 million ticket scans during the FIFA Arab Cup, with zero critical disruptions.

Cruise tourism continued to advance, with 72 cruise calls scheduled for the 2025–2026 season.

Together, these outcomes position Qatar Tourism and Visit Qatar to build towards 2026, focused on sustainable growth, service excellence, and long-term economic value aligned with the National Vision 2030.