The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) and Qatar Tourism have stepped up efforts to develop more ecotourism destinations across the country.
The MoECC is keen to boost ecotourism in the country given its huge potential. The ecotourism not only helps in conserving the environment, but also spurs the economy, besides having a cultural aspect.
The nation has witnessed significant growth in tourism sector due to its interest in developing tourist facilities, especially beaches and resorts. There is special focus on ecotourism as Qatari environment is not much affected by human activity.
Minister of Environment and Climate Change H E Sheikh Dr. Faleh bin Nasser bin Ahmed bin Ali Al Thani and Chairman of Qatar Tourism H E Saad bin Ali bin Saad Al Kharji recently discussed measures to stimulate ecotourism.
The Minister said that they deliberated on the common vision for developing ecotourism sites in many parts of the country. They reviewed ways to develop ecotourism as envisioned in Qatar National Vision 2030.
There are many ecotourism destinations in the country. Dahl Al Misfir Cave is one of them. The 40-metre deep sinkhole is located in Rawdat Rashid, 40km from Doha. Spread over 54 square kilometres, Al Masshabiya reserve was created to resettle Arabian Oryx, gazelle and other endangered animals in Qatar. Khor Al Udayd is a famous location in Qatar due to its wonderful beaches and high sand dunes.
There are islands that are distinguished by the quality of fish and the large number of birds, and in Al Dhakhira visitors can enjoy rowing among the mangrove forests and go paragliding.
Qatar’s coast features mangrove forests that are rich in biodiversity. More than 360 species of bird have been recorded in the country by the organisation Birdlife, 200 of which are migratory. Deserts have their own visual beauty such as sand dunes, oases, desert plants, lizards and foxes.
Tourism has been identified as one of five priority sectors integral to diversifying Qatar’s economy and increasing private sector participation. The country is emerging as a global tourist destination, drawing in millions of visitors and tourists every year.
According to Qatar Tourism, the country welcomed over 2.56 million visitors from January until August 25, 2023, exceeding the full-year arrival figures witnessed in 2022 and marking a 157 percent increase over the same period last year. The FIFA World Cup 2022 last year was the high point of travel to Qatar, when around 1.5 million people came to Doha from across the globe.
