Visitors from GCC and Arab countries contributed significantly to the strong growth in tourist arrivals in Qatar in May.
The country has attracted visitors from across the regions with travellers from GCC countries making up 54 percent of the total arrivals, according to the latest data by the Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA).
The data shows that 166,090 visitors arrived in May 2022, compared to just 17,140 in the same month last year, showing a year-on-year surge of 869 percent and 69.7 on a monthly basis.
The number of visitors from the GCC stood at 90,309 in May 2022, against 6,874 in the same month last year, showing a surge of 1,213.8 percent.
In April 2022 the number of visitors from the GCC stood at 30,258.
Travellers from other Arab countries represented 6 percent of the total visitor arrivals as 9,802 visitors came to Qatar from this region in May 2022 compared to 747 in May 2021, recording a rise of 1,212.2 percent on a year-on-year basis and 10 percent on a monthly basis.
Of the total arrivals, 74,744 came to Qatar by flights; 81,426 via land; while 10,100 visitors came via sea.
High vaccination rate and easing of pandemic-related restrictions have encouraged people to make travel plans.
According to the General Authority of Customs' monthly newsletter, the Abu Samra border serviced 62,628 vehicles entering and exiting Qatar during the Eid Al Fitr celebrations. Visitor arrivals measure non-residents travelling to Qatar on a short-term basis for all purposes. It includes arrivals at borders under different 15 visa classes, including all businesses and leisure visa types excluding work visas.
Of the total visitors, 18 percent were from Asian countries. According to the report, 29,824 visitors came from Asia (including Oceania) in May this year, compared to 7,156 in the same month last year, a rise of 318 percent.
Visitors from other African countries stood at 2,177 in May 2022, while the European visitors totalled 25,294 in May 2022 compared to 1,742 in same period in 2021. Travellers from this region accounted for 15 percent of the total in May 2022. Visitors from the Americas stood at 8,684 in May 2022, compared to 363 in same period last year.
Source: The Peninsula Qatar
