July 26 2015
Gulf state is targeting three million visitors by year end and seven million by 2030
Sunday, 26 July 2015
The number of tourists to Qatar increased by 7 percent in the first half of 2015 compared to the same period last year, according to data from Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA).
QTA’s Mid-Year Tourism Performance Report 2015 highlights that GCC nationals were Qatar’s largest source market – the number of visitors from elsewhere in the Gulf grew 16 percent compared to the same period in 2014.
The growth was dominated by a 25 percent increase in visitors from Saudi Arabia, mainly during the month of March when total visitor arrivals increased by 82 percent year on year. The report did not give a reason for this jump.
Visitor arrivals from the UAE also grew during the first half of the year, by 7 percent, while the number of visitors from Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman remained unchanged.
The largest growth in source markets outside the GCC included France (up eight percent), China (up seven percent) and the US (up six percent).
According to The Peninsula, the statistics show Qatar is on track to meeting its target of attracting three million visitors by the end of 2015 and seven million by 2030.
QTA released data on hotel performance in Qatar at the same time, the newspaper said.
Overall occupancy rates stand at 77 percent and have grown since 2014 with the addition of 1,400 new rooms across 11 new hotels since January, it reported.
An additional 13 hotels with around 2,500 rooms are expected to come in to the market before year end.
Hassan Al Ibrahim, chief tourism development officer at QTA, was quoted as saying: “The mid-year performance numbers show a healthy growth in the sector and enormous potential for the industry.
“So far, hoteliers have been the most active in taking steps to take advantage of this potential, but we also will see a significant growth in investments in infrastructural and experiential aspects of tourism in the coming period to further capitalise on this potential and further diversify Qatar’s offering.”
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