“World Tourism Day provides an opportunity to reflect on the evolution of tourism and its role in creating long-term economic and social value for our country. As His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani affirmed in his address to the United Nations General Assembly, Qatar’s resilience is rooted in forward planning, preparedness and sustained investment in people and national capabilities. These principles continue to guide our development and are equally reflected in the progress of Qatar’s tourism sector.
For Qatar, 2026 has been a year of progress, resilience and transformation, reinforcing our belief that the future of tourism will be defined not only by how many people we welcome, but by the quality of the experiences we create and the strength of the ecosystem we build around them. Building on the record 5.1 million visitors welcomed in 2025, Qatar received approximately 2.338 million visitors by the end of August 2026. Despite regional challenges and disruption to travel, the industry has demonstrated its resilience, supported by close coordination across government, aviation, hospitality and the wider tourism community.
This spirit of collaboration extends across the GCC. As Qatar continues its role as GCC Tourism Capital in 2026, we remain committed to advancing greater regional cooperation and a more integrated tourism landscape across the Gulf. Joint tourism offerings, progress towards the unified GCC tourism visa and coordinated promotion across priority international markets will help facilitate more seamless travel across the region, broaden its appeal to international visitors and reinforce the GCC’s collective presence on the global tourism landscape.
The theme of this year’s World Tourism Day, ‘Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism’, reflects a transformation already taking shape in Qatar. Technology is increasingly enhancing every stage of the visitor journey, from digital entry through Hayya to destination discovery, trip planning and access to experiences. Visit Qatar’s use of generative AI is enabling more intuitive and personalised engagement with travellers, while its digital platforms are making it easier to discover events, attractions and activities across the country. The development of tools that simplify access to information and ticketing forms part of our wider ambition to deliver a seamless, digitally enabled visitor journey and ensure Qatar remains responsive to the changing expectations of travellers.
As we look towards 2027, our focus remains on building a competitive, innovative and future-ready tourism sector that creates lasting value for Qatar. This means continuing to diversify and enrich our tourism offering, from culture and entertainment to sport, wellness and culinary experiences, while ensuring service excellence at every touchpoint of the visitor journey. Equally important is investing in the people behind those experiences, strengthening skills and capabilities across the industry through initiatives such as the Service Excellence Academy and supporting the development of a highly skilled tourism workforce. Guided by Qatar National Vision 2030, these efforts will support economic diversification, attract investment and create opportunities for private-sector growth, while advancing Qatar’s position as a globally connected destination.
I extend my sincere appreciation to our partners in Qatar, across the region and internationally, whose contributions remain fundamental to achieving this shared ambition.”
H.E. Mr. Saad Bin Ali Al-Kharji
Chairman of Qatar Tourism
