Qatar attracts 3.5 million visitors in first nine months of 2025

Qatar Tourism has reported a steady increase in international arrivals over the first nine months of 2025, attracting more than 3.5 million visitors, a 2.2% rise year-on-year. 

 

This growth is being driven in part by a surge in arrivals from China and Australia, which rose 37% and 31%, respectively, reflecting Qatar’s expanding appeal in key long-haul markets.

 

The GCC markets remain central to source growth, accounting for 36% of arrivals, having previously recorded double-digit growth of more than 14% in the first half of 2025. 

 

Western Europe contributed 25% and Asia and Oceania 22%.

 

With a robust event calendar set for the final quarter, recent forecasts predict Qatar could reach as many as 5.3 million arrivals by year-end, setting a new record for the destination and surpassing last year’s milestone of 5 million.

 

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Most arrivals in the first nine months of 2025 reached Qatar by air, representing 60% of total entries, while land routes made up 33% and cruise arrivals 7%.

 

This follows a strong first half for cruise tourism, with the 2024/2025 winter season welcoming 87 ship calls to Doha Port, a 19% year-on-year increase, and more than 360,000 cruise passengers. 

 

Hospitality performance was equally robust, with Qatar recording 41,733 room keys across hotels and hotel apartments at the end of Q3. Year-to-date occupancy climbed to 68%, a rise of 2.4 percentage points, and total room nights sold reached 7.7 million, translating to an 8% boost in demand over 2024.​

 

Qatar Tourism attributed consistent growth to a packed events calendar and expanding international connectivity, including newly launched routes to Malta, Tashkent and Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea destination, alongside broader codeshare agreements facilitating access to 18 additional US and European cities.

 

Complementing these efforts, targeted campaigns such as the recently launched ‘Winter in Qatar 2026’ initiative are also driving momentum, with the influencer-led initiative focusing on attracting high-value GCC travellers by showcasing the country’s appeal across social and digital platforms.