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Doha, September 27 (QNA) – The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) expected this year to see international tourist numbers return to pre-Covid-19 pandemic figures in both Europe and the Middle East.
This prospect has come following a stronger than expected tourism come back in 2022, with tourists increasingly wanting value for money and travel, in response to the current difficult economic climate.
The number of tourists in 2022 recorded a recovery of 63 percent, compared to pre-pandemic levels.
A UNWTO report showed that the number of tourists in 2022 exceeded 900 million tourists globally, following year 2019 breaking the record to reach 1.5 billion tourists, indicating that the economic crisis might be one of the factors that could a negative impact on tourism in 2023.
Based on the scenarios predicted by the UNWTO for 2023, the number of international tourists could reach anywhere between 80 and 95 percent of previously recorded numbers, due to several considerations, the continued recovery of travel in Asia and the Pacific, in addition to developments in the war in Ukraine.
All regions globally recorded a notable increase in international tourist numbers, with the Middle East recording the highest relative increase.
In its report, the UNWTO highlighted the growth of international tourism revenues to reach USD 1 trillion end of 2022, an increase of 50 percent over 2021 levels, highlighting the aviation and tourism sectors’ recovery last year, after having been the sectors most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic between 2020 and 2021.
The UNWTO said that despite economic, health, and geopolitical challenges, recovery will continue throughout 2023, thanks to the positive effects the lifting of Covid-19 travel restrictions in China had, serving as a strong impetus and an important step towards the recovery of the tourism sector in Asia and the Pacific, followed by the world. However, the organization warned at the same time against challenges related to geopolitical insecurities, staff shortages in some sectors such as bookings, in addition to the potential impact of high living costs crisis in some tourism destinations.
For its part, the State of Qatar has experienced remarkable development in recent years, with its tourism sector growing in all directions, leading to Qatar’s comprehensive tourism development in all service sectors.
Head of Communications at the Qatar Tourism Dr. Buthaina Mohammed Al Janahi told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that Qatar has adopted the Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030, diversifying the Qatari economy greatly, keeping in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030. She added that Qatar developed its latest tourism strategy edition in 2019, which was then approved in 2020, and is now being integrated with the State of Qatar’s 3rd National Development Strategy.
Al Janahi added that this strategy aims to increase the contribution of the tourism sector to the gross domestic product by about 12 percent, raising tourism spending domestically by three to four folds, increasing the volume of employment in the tourism sector, and making Qatar the fastest growing tourism destination in the Middle East by 2030.
She indicated that 15 markets were identified and targeted, including the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, focusing on 6 types of tourism, in addition to launching promotional and advertising campaigns in the targeted markets, and cooperating internally with partners and concerned authorities, stressing that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 constituted a turning point in the Qatari tourism sector.
In terms of business events, Al Janahi said that Qatar has proven its ability to successfully host international events, quickly gaining the reputation for being a regional hub for doing business, and holding conferences and exhibitions, not to mention sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the GKA Kite World Tour.
Al Janahi added that Qatar is also preparing to host various major events include the Geneva International Motor Show Qatar 2023, to be held for the first time outside its native Switzerland, in addition to the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix 2023 and the Expo 2023 Doha Horticultural Exhibition, both to take place in October.
Head of Communications at the Qatar Tourism Dr. Buthaina Mohammed Al Janahi said that the cruise industry grew in recent years that it now constitutes an essential element in the tourism strategy.
She said that thanks to its unique strategic location in the heart of the city, Doha Port provides visitors to Qatar with an excellent opportunity to enjoy and make the most out of their short time in Doha. Al Janahi added that the cruise tourism is receiving Qatar Tourism’s increasing attention, indicating that the 2022-2023 cruise season concluded with an increase of 151 percent in the number of visitors compared to the previous season, thanks to the establishment of a number of tourist attractions such as the West Bay beaches, Fuwairit Kite Beach Resort, and Al Maha Island.
In order to promote Qatar as a leading tourist destination, Al Janahi said that a number of global campaigns will be launched, the most recent of which is the “Feel More in Qatar” campaign.
Moreover, she noted Qatar’s facilitating its visa policies, granting the citizens of 100 nationalities a visa on arrival, through the relaunch of the “Hayya” entry permit platform on which visitors can apply for entry permits.
Al Janahi said that various new hotels are currently being built, such as the Waldorf Astoria West Bay Hotel inaugurating in October, in addition to Sofitel Doha West Bay and Novotel Doha West Bay to open later this year, as well as the Qetaifan Islands, a new project on the shores of Lusail City, which will host three new 5-star hotels, two on Qetaifan Island North and one on Qetaifan Island South.
In order to provide training for workers in the tourism industry’s sectors of transport, food and beverage, and hospitality, Qatar Tourism launched the Service Excellence Academy. In fact, In the years 2022 and 2023, Qatar Tourism certified 34,100 employees who deal directly with visitors through its local “Qatar Host” tourism training program. Furthermore, Qatar Tourism offered 1,700 global partners tourism training through its “Qatar Specialist Programme” program, introducing them to all the Qatar has to offer to tourists.
In order to widen its reach to residents, tourists, and partners, Qatar Tourism made the “Visit Qatar” application available in eight languages: Arabic, English, French, Chinese, Spanish, Italian, German, and Turkish. It also issued the “Qatar Now” guidebook, which is ideal for spending a vacation in Qatar.
According to Qatar Tourism figures, ever since the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Qatar received 2.56 million visitors until the end of August 2023, exceeding the total number of visitors during the entire year 2022, recording a 157 percent increase in international visitors compared to the same period last year.
The State of Qatar is proud to have a global awards-winning national carrier that connects Doha to more than 150 major global destinations across the six continents. Qatar Airways won the “Airline of the Year” by the international air transport rating organization, Skytrax, for an unprecedented seventh time. As for Hamad International Airport, it has been ranked as the second-best airport in the world, along with winning titles for ‘World’s Best Airport Shopping’ and ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ for the ninth time in a row.
Qatar enjoys excellent public transport networks, which played a prominent role in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, such as the Doha metro and Lusail tram which transported more than 18.2 million passengers smoothly, in addition to an advanced and safe road network connecting all parts of the country together, all factors leading to Doha being awarded the title of Arab Tourism Capital for 2023 by the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism, among other prominent titles. (QNA)
