Qatar Tourism has announced the winners of the third edition of the Qatar Tourism Awards, during a celebratory ceremony held at Raffles Doha on 26 November. The event honoured the organisations and individuals who continue to elevate Qatar’s position as a leading global destination.
This year’s winners were recognised in the presence of His Excellency Mr. Saad bin Ali Al Kharji, Chairman of Qatar Tourism; Eng. Abdulaziz Ali Al Mawlawi, CEO of Visit Qatar; Mr. Omar Al Jaber, Chief of Tourism Development at Qatar Tourism; Ms. Natalia Bayona, Executive Director of UN Tourism; H.E. Mr. Samer Al Khraishi, Director of the UN Tourism Regional Office for the Middle East.
Launched two years ago, the Qatar Tourism Awards were created to celebrate and recognise the exceptional contributions of businesses and individuals who set the highest standards of service excellence. The programme honours those whose outstanding achievements enhance visitor experiences and help reinforce Qatar’s reputation as a leading global destination.
His Excellency Mr. Saad bin Ali Al Kharji, Chairman of Qatar Tourism, said: “Today, we gather to celebrate excellence, honour dedication, and recognise the exceptional efforts of the professionals driving our tourism sector, which has become a fundamental pillar in delivering Qatar National Vision 2030. Since the launch of this award two years ago, our goal was to set a benchmark for excellence and to recognise those who continue to surpass it. Now, in our third edition, this vision is reflected in the remarkable response we received, with more than 1,160 nominations submitted, demonstrating how deeply excellence is embedded within our sector and how widely it is embraced across the industry”.
Commenting on the awards, Ms. Natalia Bayona, Executive Director of UN Tourism said: “In just three years, these Awards have become a symbol of ambition, celebrating innovation, service excellence, and the people who turn ideas into impact. The Qatar Tourism Awards are more than recognition; they are a platform for leadership. This spirit of excellence is also reflected in Qatar’s emergence as one of the world’s most dynamic destinations, consistently surpassing its pre-2019 visitor levels and accelerating its global tourism momentum”.
This year, the Qatar Tourism Awards featured seven categories, ensuring a holistic representation of the visitor experience. The categories included: Service Excellence, Gastronomic Experiences, Iconic Attractions and Activities, World-Class Events, Digital Footprint, Smart and Sustainable Tourism, and Community Leadership.
Qatar Tourism had previously announced the judging panel for this edition, a distinguished group of ten national and international industry experts, including two senior representatives from UN Tourism. The panel evaluated all submissions with the highest levels of transparency, objectivity, and professionalism, following clear criteria set by a specialised team from UN Tourism. Each category was assigned to two judges, who assessed submissions independently without access to each other’s scores, a new enhancement introduced this year to further strengthen fairness and accuracy.
Winners of the 2025 Qatar Tourism Awards
Category One – Service Excellence
- Outstanding 3-Star Hotel: Hampton by Hilton Doha Old Town
- Outstanding 4-Star Hotel: Embassy Suites by Hilton Doha Old Town
- Outstanding 5-Star Hotel: Raffles Doha
- Exceptional Spa Experience: The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Doha
- Exceptional Resort Experience: The St. Regis Marsa Arabia Island, The Pearl Qatar
- Exceptional Holiday Home Experience: North Vacation Villa
- Outstanding New Tourism Accommodation: Rosewood Doha
- “Heart of Hospitality” Award: Discover Qatar
- Leading Chief Concierge:
- Tour Guide of the Year: Maryia Shymanouskaya
- Leading Destination Management Company: Discover Qatar
Category Two – Gastronomic Experiences
- Outstanding Fine Dining Experience: Liang
- Exceptional Casual Dining Experience: Chabrat Al Mina
- Premier Quick Service Experience: Graze Café
- Noteworthy Café Experience: Harvest Café
- Outstanding Authentic Qatari Dining Experience: Bayt Al Waldah
- Outstanding New Restaurant: Athr Café
Category Three – Iconic Attractions and Activities
- Outstanding Cultural Tourism Experience: Museum of Islamic Art – The Immersion
- Unforgettable Adventure Tourism Experience: Discover the Whale Sharks of Qatar by Discover Qatar
- Leading Local Retail Brand: Gema Boutique
- Premier Shopping Mall Experience: Doha Festival City
- Premier Theme Park Experience: Meryal Waterpark
- Iconic Local Attraction: The National Museum of Qatar NMOQ – Qatar Museums
Category Four – World-Class Events
- Top MICE Event of the Year: Web Summit 2025 – Government Communications Office
- Leading Cultural Event – Local: Katara Traditional Dhow Festival – The Cultural Village
- Premier Sporting Event of the Year: Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Outstanding Multi-Purpose MICE & Events Venue: Sheraton Grand Doha
Category Five – Digital Footprint
- Outstanding Destination Campaign: Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Tourism Content Creator of the Year: I Love Qatar
Category Six – Smart and Sustainable Tourism
- Tourism Innovation Award: Qatar Museums
- Accessibility Initiative of the Year: WBB West Bay Beach
- Leading Sustainable Attraction: Msheireb Downtown Doha
- Leading Eco-Friendly Accommodation: The Ritz-Carlton Doha
Category Seven – Community Leadership
- Hotel General Manager of the Year: Ammar Samad – Zulal Wellness Resort
- Emerging Leader in Tourism: Shaikha Nasser Al-Nassr
- Tourism Personality of the Year: Mr. Jassim Abdulaziz Al Jassim
- Lifetime Achievement in Tourism: His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker
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