Qatar tourism revenues are expected to hit $11.9 billion by 2020, while inbound arrivals are expected to reach 3 million this year, it has been reported.
Research by Fitch Group company BMI Research, cited by Gulf Times, described the anticipated rise in tourism receipts as “healthy” and attributed it to Qatar becoming “better known” across the world as a holiday destination.
International receipts are expected to rise in line with a predicted 5.4 percent rise in inbound arrivals by the end of 2016 compared to 2015 – to 3.1 million, the report said.
And growth will remain strong until 2020, when inbound tourism numbers are expected to reach 4 million.
The Gulf state is increasing investments in tourism infrastructure, such as retail facilities and hotels, ahead of its hosting of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
This is expected to attract a growing number of high-spending tourists from both regional and international markets, it was reported.
Domestic tourism spend is expected to rise by 7.2 percent over 2016 including a predicted $4.1 billion spend by international inbound tourists on “travel items”, the research said, and $5.1 billion in “transport receipts”, rising to $6.2 billion by 2020.
The research was also said to have forecast the total number of outbound tourism departures to reach 1.7 million by the end of 2016. Of those, just under 1.1 million will head to Saudi Arabia, followed by the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Turkey.
BMI reportedly said: “Despite regional tensions and a fall in the price of oil (which may see inter-regional investment stymied in the short term whilst budgets are tightened), neighboring countries will remain the major destinations for Qatari travelers.”
Arabian Business
13 July
