Qatar sets tourism record with 5.1 million arrivals in 2025

Qatar recorded its highest-ever number of international visitors in 2025, attracting 5.1 million travellers. However, growth eased to 3.7%, marking a slowdown from the 25% surge achieved in 2024, suggesting a period of stabilisation after several years of rapid expansion.

The Gulf state continues to pursue its ambitious tourism goals, which include tripling arrivals between 2022 and 2030 and increasing the sector’s contribution to GDP to 10%. Since hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2022, Qatar has doubled its visitor numbers from 2.5 million that year, underscoring its rising global tourism profile.

Tourism performance in 2025 remained strong throughout the year, finishing the year on a high note with 674,000 visitors in December, marking a 16% year-on-year rise fuelled by major events such as the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025.

Regional markets continued to play a pivotal role, with visitors from GCC countries comprising 35% of total arrivals, followed by Europe (25%) and the rest of Asia and Oceania (22%). 

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Air travel remained the leading mode of entry, accounting for 61% of arrivals, while 32% arrived by land and 7% by sea, reflecting Qatar’s growing presence in the regional cruise market. In December, Doha Port welcomed two maiden calls: Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Navigator and Celestyal Discovery, which carried more than 1,300 passengers.

For the full year, hotel metrics also reflected steady progress, with total room nights up 8.6% to 10.8 million and accommodation revenue rising 12% to QAR8.3 billion (US$2.3 billion). Qatar’s hospitality landscape expanded to 42,469 hotel keys, nearly half (20,789) of which fall into the five-star segment, with new openings including the Rosewood Doha in Lusail and the Swissôtel Corniche Park Towers Doha. 

Average occupancy rates improved from 68.7% to 71.3%, contributing to the sector’s sustained growth momentum.