Qatar welcomed more than two million international visitors to the country in the first half of the year, revealed new figures released by Qatar Tourism on Thursday.

Data showed that the months of May and June registered the highest number of visitors — 567,000 — ever recorded for these two months in the last ten years. International arrivals in 2023 have so far doubled compared to pre-pandemic levels (1,053,000 in 2019).

The sharp spike in numbers was attributed to the launch of Qatar Tourism’s ‘Feel More in Qatar’ campaign, along with the steady calendar of world-class events staged throughout the country since the start of the year.

It helped maintain the energetic atmosphere from last year’s FIFA World Cup tournament. The extension of Hayya Card for existing cardholders and the re-launch of the Hayya platform enabled visitors with an easy and seamless entry process into Qatar.

Since January 2023, Qatar Tourism’s ‘Feel Winter in Qatar’ campaign has brought to audiences the 19th Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition, 12th Qatar International Food Festival and numerous Qatar Live 2023 concerts.

Qatar also hosted international sporting events like the GKA Freestyle Kite World Cup 2023, World Judo Championships, and the 8th Qatar Tennis Federation Open, amongst others.

Eid celebrations in April and June also led to a surge in arrivals, thanks to the packed schedule of events in Qatar Tourism’s ‘Eid in Qatar’ campaigns.

Commenting on the half-year results, Qatar Tourism’s Chief Operating Officer Berthold Trenkel said: “These strong visitor numbers are a testament to the determination, hard work, and resilience of everyone involved in Qatar’s tourism and hospitality industry. With our ongoing roster of international events, industry-leading hospitality infrastructure and ongoing commitment to Service Excellence, Qatar is well on its path to becoming the Middle East’s fastest-growing tourism destination.”

From 2023 to date, arrivals by air constituted 51% of all visitors to Qatar, while arrivals by land and sea made up 37% and 12% of the total figures, respectively.

Visitors from Saudi Arabia remained the top source market for international visitors this year, contributing to nearly a quarter of all arrivals. This is followed by India and Germany.

The positive momentum of exciting events throughout the country is set to continue, with highly anticipated events like ‘Feel Summer in Qatar,’ Geneva International Motor Show, Formula 1 and Expo Doha 2023 coming up.

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