Large Influx of Visitors Boosts the Tourism Industry

The number of visitors to Qatar has increased, boosting the tourism industry. According to the latest report from the Planning and Statistics Authority, 97,854 visitors arrived in April 2022, up from 13,312 in the same month last year, a 635 percent increase (PSA).

Flights brought 62,470 visitors out of the total. According to the survey, 8,229 people arrived by water, while 27,155 arrived by land.

Qatar has drawn travelers from all over the world, with Asian and Oceanian visitors accounting for the majority of arrivals in April. According to the study, Asian countries accounted for 32 percent of visits in April this year, with 30, 966 visitors compared to 7,780 in the same month last year, a 298 percent increase. Non-residents visiting Qatar on a short-term basis are counted as visitors for all reasons. It comprises all business and leisure visa kinds, except work visas, as well as arrivals at crossings under different 15 visa classes.

Arrivals from the Gulf area accounted for 31% of all arrivals. The number of tourists from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) reached 30,258 in April 2022, up from 2,782 the previous year, a 987.6% increase. Travelers from other Arab nations accounted for 9% of overall tourist arrivals in Qatar, with 8,908 arriving in April 2021 compared to 864 in April 2021. In April 2022, there were 20,019 visits from European countries, up from 1,472 in the same month the previous year, indicating a 1,260 percent increase year over year.

In April of this year, visitors from the European region accounted for 20% of all visitors. In April 2022, there were 6,007 visits from the Americas, compared to 283 in the same period last year.

According to Qatar Tourism, the number of tourists to Qatar managed to increase by almost seven times in the first quarter of 2022 compared to prior years (QT). The number of visits reached 316,000 between January and March 2022, compared to 581,000 and 611,000 for the whole year in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

According to Ministry of Public Health, 6,793,081 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been delivered since the program began. There were also 1,558,140 booster doses given out, resulting in 89.4 percent of the population being highly immunized with two doses.

The high volume of tourists is set to continue in the following months, as the country prepares to host the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world. People are making trip arrangements because of the high vaccination rate and the lifting of pandemic-related restrictions.

The Qatari Cabinet has eased COVID-19 limitations in the country and approved revisions to COVID-19 precautionary measures that will take effect on February 12, 2022, which will have a favorable impact on tourist arrivals in the coming months.