HE Saad bin Ali Al Kharji, Chairman of Qatar Tourism and Visit Qatar, reaffirmed during his participation in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos that tourism has become a key driver for international cooperation, innovation, and sustainable development. Speaking at a high-level panel hosted by the Financial Times at the “Invest Qatar” pavilion, he highlighted Qatar’s commitment to strengthening global partnerships and reinforcing its international standing.

Al Kharji noted that 2025 marked a pivotal milestone for Qatar’s tourism sector, as Qatar Tourism implemented an ambitious development program focused on enhancing service quality, improving accessibility, and maximizing sustainable economic impact in line with Qatar National Vision 2030. Welcoming over five million visitors despite regional and global challenges, he said, reflects the sector’s resilience and global confidence in Qatar as a safe, stable, and well-prepared destination.

He added that Doha’s selection as the Gulf Tourism Capital for 2026 underscores the success of Qatar’s long-term strategic approach and the vital role of tourism in economic diversification and regional cooperation. This progress, he emphasized, was achieved through close coordination with government entities and national partners, ensuring alignment between tourism development, infrastructure planning, mobility solutions, culture, sports, and public services.

Qatar Tourism continues to prioritize targeted investment in tourism assets that enrich year-round visitor experiences, while embedding service excellence as a national benchmark. Diversifying offerings across cultural, heritage, medical tourism, and major global sporting events has further strengthened a future-ready tourism sector delivering sustainable economic value.

In 2025, Qatar launched “Taste of Qatar,” the country’s first national restaurant classification program, positioning gastronomy as a strategic pillar of the visitor experience. Developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health and Ipsos, the initiative evaluated around 800 restaurants, granting initial three-star ratings to approximately 150 establishments.

Maritime tourism also gained momentum, with Qatar named “Favorite Cruise Destination” at the Wave Awards 2025, and expectations to welcome 72 cruise calls during the 2025–2026 season.

Digitally, the Hayya platform reinforced its role as Qatar’s unified digital gateway for visitor entry, processing nearly one million e-visa applications and earning prestigious regional awards, while demonstrating high operational efficiency during major events.

Events and festivals remained a cornerstone of Qatar’s tourism ecosystem, with the Qatar Calendar featuring over 600 events in 2025. Meanwhile, the business events sector recorded significant growth, welcoming over one million international business visitors and securing 14 global bids to host major events in 2026 and 2027.

Looking ahead, Al Kharji emphasized that 2026 is set to be a defining year for tourism in Qatar, supported by a robust international events calendar, expanded gastronomy initiatives, and strengthened global partnerships—further cementing Qatar’s position as a leading global tourism destination.