In 2008 Qatar welcomed 700,000 visitors and by last year this had risen to around one million.
“Because Qatar has a strong economy, we are not banking on tourism,” said Cristina Mules, marketing official at Qatar Tourism Authority.
“We have the second largest reserve of gas in the world, so tourism is something we are trying to develop as an addition.”
Around 95 per cent of the country’s visitors are business travellers and Qatar is currently developing the infrastructure to cater to that market – it is hoped that in the next few years there will be the capacity for more leisure tourism.
The tourism authority is urging visitors to stay an extra 48 hours. Whether they are in Qatar for business, sport or cultural reasons, the message is to stay an extra two days and explore the country.
There is much to see and do in Qatar including the recently renewed Souk Wafiq, which presents traditions alongside innovations, the world-renowned Museum of Islamic Art and Khor Al Daid, the GCC’s only inland sea, which is surrounded by massive sand dunes offering the option for dune surfing and buggy driving.
This is an area well served by tourist camps which is very popular with visitors.
Other attractions include traditional dhow trips to the many islands off the country’s coast where visitors can enjoy a barbecue on the beach.
Mules continued: “Most of Qatar’s tourism projects have been developed by the private sector with the state, through its vision, acting as regulator. The government didn’t want to just push money into the sector so it has encouraged private investors to come up with innovative projects.
“The new aquapark is due to open shortly and the first phase of the culture village is due to open by the end of the year. This is a development that will include hotels and events facilities.
“Qatar is also hosting various major sporting events, the next big one is the Asian Cup 2011.
“And the government has recently opened up certain sectors of the economy to 100 per cent foreign investment to encourage diversification of the economy.”
Qatar’s new airport will eventually have a capacity of 50 million passengers and Mules would, in future, hope to attract up to 5 million of these as stop-overs. She added that by 2012 the country will have 29,000 hotel rooms, a massive 400 per cent increase, saying ‘so we have to take affirmative action to fill them’.
Several new hotels are due to open in 2010 including the St Regis, the Courtyard by Marriott, a Hilton and a Radisson.