As Qatar is celebrating the 100 days countdown until the country hosts the most popular sporting event in the world (FIFA World Cup). The event is further enhancing the position of the State of Qatar in different sectors and dimensions at regional and global levels.
Different sectors in the country have been preparing for this moment to reap the maximum rewards from the event as no one had any doubt that this global sporting event will enhance the position of the State of Qatar on the global economy including tourism industry. All indications show that the State will receive a number of visitors that it has not hosted before within a short period of time from now.
According to the most recent reports, hotel occupancy in the first half of 2022 were virtually back to pre-pandemic levels; 3.1 million hotel nights have been sold in the first six months of 2022, compared to 3.2 million hotel nights in the same period of 2019.
The country is ready to receive millions of visitors as the preparations for such flow of guests are well accomplished through completion of mega projects and infrastructure including hotels, luxurious parks and magnificent landscape, in addition to other essential components that will also be in a position in the near future to host one of the important football events in the world.
Around 4,500 new hotel keys are expected to be delivered to the market throughout 2022, with most targeting opening dates in the third quarter, according to a report by Cushman and Wakefield. The report added that this new supply, combined with existing hotel supply, and serviced apartment supply is expected to deliver approximately 37,000 keys, or 45,000 rooms for the World Cup.
This shows how Qatar has chalked out its strategies in different sectors in line with the preparation for this mega sporting event, a fact that clearly reflected by the tourism strategy set by the state of Qatar, which made its target to increase the number of visitors to six million annually by 2030.
If we take this in the context of the global economy recovering from the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, what Qatar’s tourism sector is witnessing may exceed the expected size, especially with the influx of visitors from the neighbouring countries of the Gulf, especially Saudi Arabia.
This edition of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will be transformative for Qatar as the comprehensive development efforts have accelerated the development of the country in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.
