DOHA: Qatar’s tourism sector recorded a landmark year in 2025, with hotel room nights sold reaching 9.7 million and visitor numbers expected to reach their highest level in the country’s history.
Ayman Al Qudwa, Member of the Tourism and Exhibitions Committee at the Qatar Chamber, said in an interview with Qatar Radio that “around 9.7 million hotel nights were sold during the first 11 months of 2025.”
He noted that “visitor arrivals between January and November reached approximately 4.4 million, while December figures have yet to be officially released.”
Al Qudwa said early indicators suggest that 2025 will surpass all previous records in terms of both visitor numbers and hotel occupancy.
He attributed the strong performance to a packed events calendar, describing December as a “grand finale” that featured major international and regional events, including the Formula 1 Grand Prix, the FIFA Arab Cup, and a range of sporting and cultural activities.
Highlighting the growth in event attendance, Al Qudwa pointed to the FIFA Arab Cup as a key example. Stadium attendance during the tournament’s first edition in 2021 reached around 571,000 spectators, while the second edition, held from December 1 to 18, 2025, attracted more than 1.2 million spectators, more than double the previous figure.
Placing the growth in a broader context, Al Qudwa said, “Qatar welcomed 2.1 million visitors in 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic. Visitor numbers rose to 2.5 million in 2022, driven by the FIFA World Cup, before increasing to 4 million in 2023. The figure climbed again in 2024 to 5 million visitors, reflecting sustained momentum in the tourism sector.”
He added that Qatar has remained a focal point of regional and international attention following the FIFA World Cup, with tourism growth supported by infrastructure development, diversified events, and expanding hospitality offerings.
Official 2025 tourism figures are expected to be released within the next few days, which, he said, will further highlight Qatar’s progress in growth and sustainable development.
