ATO commended naming Doha as Arab Tourism Capital for 2023, stressing it will re-energize the tourism movement in Qatar

Arab Tourism Organization (ATO) revealed that the hospitality sector in Qatar achieved record results during November and December 2022, pointing out that hotel occupancy rates ranged between 90 to 100 percent, in a statement on Wednesday. The organisation commended naming Doha as Arab Tourism Capital for 2023, stressing that this naming will re-energize the tourism movement in Qatar in general; attract pioneering investment projects; invest natural, cultural, and historical resources; and raise human capital capabilities to increase job opportunities in the tourism field. As indicated by the ATO, Qatar's tourism sector witnessed an unprecedented boom, pointing out that the World Cup represented the largest promotional campaign as more than five billion people around the world watched the tournament, and attracted more than one million tourists during the tournament.

The organization noted that naming Doha as Arab Tourism Capital for 2023 came after fulfilling the standards and terms of reference set and approved by the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism at the League of Arab States, stressing that the State of Qatar's tourism infrastructure has witnessed a remarkable development as the finest hotels, resorts, beaches, entertainment cities, and public parks were established. In addition, Qatar Airways was named the best airline in the world for the seventh consecutive year, and Hamad International Airport (HIA) was named the best airport in the world for the second consecutive year. The organization expected a huge tourism boom in Qatar during 2023.

The organization explained that it would work in cooperation with Qatar Tourism to make Doha the prime destination for regional and international tourism, especially for Arab families, as a calendar for all-year events and programs will be prepared. The organization explained that Qatar is characterized by the availability of marine, desert, cultural, family entertainment, exhibition and conference, and sports tourism.

The organization said that the criteria and basis for choosing the capital, which should be available in the winning city, include tourism management, tourism infrastructure, tourism resources, diversity of tourism patterns and activities, preservation and protection of the environment, response to tourism developments and the desired results of tourism in the city, safety, security, stability, and health safety.

It added that naming the capital came to encourage the inter-Arab tourism movement while highlighting the special identity, customs, traditions, and touristic value of each chosen city and its part in supporting the Arab tourism industry to communicate with other cultures and civilizations and emphasize the huge economic returns on countries.

By the end of 2022, Qatar's tourism sector achieved an increase of 243 percent in the number of touristic nights, while the number of international tourists surged 251.1 percent. The GCC countries contributed to the increase in the number of arrivals to 38 percent as a result of easy land transport.

According to its plan to maximize the tourism sector's returns, Qatar aims to attract six million tourists by the end of 2023 to enhance its contribution to the GDP to 12 percent.

The Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism, in its 25th session at the Arab League General Secretariat headquarters on Dec. 13, named Doha as Arab Tourism Capital for 2023.