Qatar has marked a significant milestone in its tourism development journey, welcoming 5.1 million visitors in 2025, reflecting sustained growth in arrivals and reinforcing the country’s positioning as a competitive, year-round tourism destination in the region.
According to figures released by Visit Qatar, the country’s tourism promotion authority, visitor arrivals increased by 3.7 per cent year-on-year, with December 2025 emerging as a standout month, recording 674,000 visitors—a near 16 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. The strong year-end performance was driven in part by a packed calendar of international events, including the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025, which drew significant inbound traffic.
Hospitality and Revenue Performance
Qatar’s hospitality sector mirrored the positive momentum in arrivals. Room nights sold rose 8.6 per cent to 10.8 million, while accommodation revenues increased 12 per cent to QAR 8.3 billion (USD 2.3 billion). The growth highlights improved demand across hotels and serviced accommodations, supported by a diversified visitor mix spanning leisure, business and event-led travel.
Visit Qatar attributed the record performance to a coordinated approach across marketing, partnerships and destination management. Over 35 global strategic partnerships were activated during the year, complemented by more than 95 integrated marketing campaigns rolled out across 19 international source markets, strengthening Qatar’s global visibility and market reach.
Events and MICE Drive Demand
Events continued to play a central role in Qatar’s tourism strategy. The country hosted more than 600 events in 2025, ranging from sports and cultural festivals to international exhibitions. The Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) segment emerged as a key contributor, attracting over 1 million international business visitorsduring the year.
In addition, Qatar successfully secured 14 international event bids scheduled to take place across 2026 and 2027, underlining its growing credibility as a global events destination. The designation of Doha as the GCC Tourism Capital for 2026 further reinforced Qatar’s leadership position within the regional tourism landscape.
Focus on Service Excellence and Culinary Development
Service quality and visitor experience remained central to Qatar’s tourism development agenda. In 2025, Visit Qatar launched Taste of Qatar, a nationwide culinary quality initiative that inspected approximately 800 restaurants. Around 150 establishments were awarded 3-Star certification, setting new benchmarks for dining standards across the country.
The city’s culinary credentials were further strengthened with the continued expansion of the Michelin Guide Doha, positioning the capital as an emerging gastronomic hub in the Middle East.
Workforce Development and Digital Readiness
Significant progress was also recorded in tourism workforce development. Since 2022, more than 55,600 individualshave completed the Qatar Host Programme, while over 13,000 professionals have graduated from the Qatar Specialist Programme, contributing to higher service standards across the visitor economy.
Operational readiness and digital infrastructure were enhanced through the Hayya platform, which processed nearly 1 million e-visa applications in 2025. During the FIFA Arab Cup, Hayya also managed more than 1.1 million ticket scans, delivering seamless operations without major disruptions.
Cruise Tourism Gains Momentum
Cruise tourism continued to expand as part of Qatar’s diversification strategy. The 2025–2026 season is set to feature 72 cruise calls, reflecting growing interest from international cruise operators and reinforcing Doha’s role as a regional cruise hub.
Looking Ahead
With sustained growth across leisure, business, events and cruise tourism, Qatar’s 2025 performance underscores the effectiveness of its long-term tourism strategy. Continued investment in global partnerships, service excellence, digital innovation and large-scale events positions the country well to maintain momentum and further enhance its appeal to international travellers in the years ahead.
