WTM London: Qatar seeks to triple visitor numbers by 2030
Will PayneQatar is hoping to triple its global visitor levels by 2030, its tourism board has confirmed.
In 2019, the destination reportedly saw around two million visitors, and hopes to achieve six to seven million by 2030.
Next year, Qatar will host the FIFA World Cup from 21 November until 18 December, which Philip Dickinson, Qatar Tourism vice president of international markets, believes will draw in upwards of 15 million arrivals.
The tournament will be delivered by FIFA in conjunction with the Supreme Committee, which was set up to help implement the matches.
Dickinson said Qatar will look to build on the “legacy" of the tournament, and to use the event to propel the country’s other offerings.
"The World Cup will sell itself," Dickinson added. "But for Qatar Tourism, it will be about building on the legacy of the tournament and making the most of that momentum the event will bring.
"Our offerings have been on the up, and we want to get as much product on the shelf for next year, as Qatar has so much new infrastructure to offer.”
Dickinson said Qatar has recently suffered from a lack of awareness, after its global campaign was delayed due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"We were planning to launch our global campaign just over a year ago, but of course with everything that happened, it didn’t make sense to go live with that, as our borders, the UK borders, and most other destinations were closed."
Dickinson also believes the drive to increase passenger numbers will result in the country’s tourism sector accounting for 12% of Qatar’s GDP by 2030.
Sign up for weekday travel news and analysis straight to your inbox
Supplier Directory
Find contacts for 260+ travel suppliers. Type name, company or destination.
Recommended For You
Latest travel jobs
Travel Consultant - Plymouth
Cruise Consultant, Glasgow
Assistant Manager - Birkenhead
Competitions
Upcoming events
TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies 2025
Place of registration: England and Wales.
Company number 08723341.
Registered address: 6th Floor, 2 London Wall Place, London EC2Y 5AU
