Tourism spending in Qatar saw a remarkable 38% increase in 2024, reaching QAR 40 billion, according to Qatar Tourism, as reported by the Qatar News Agency (QNA). The hospitality sector also achieved a significant milestone, exceeding 10 million hotel nights for the first time.

The total number of visitors to Qatar climbed to 5,076,640 in 2024, a 25% rise compared to the 4,046,281 visitors recorded in 2023. December alone brought in 594,079 visitors, reflecting a 14.6% increase from the previous year and 74,000 more visitors than November 2024.

While tourism flourished, Qatar’s trade performance showed a mixed picture in Q3 2024. The merchandise trade balance surplus stood at QR 57.7 billion, slightly lower than the QR 60.9 billion recorded in Q3 2023. Total exports for Q3 2024 amounted to QR 87.8 billion, a 2.2% dip year-on-year, mainly due to a decline in exports of mineral fuels and manufactured articles.

However, some export categories saw growth. Chemical products rose by QR 1.5 billion (24.5%), machinery and transport equipment surged by QR 1.2 billion (53.3%), and manufactured goods increased by QR 0.4 billion (17.1%).

Imports to Qatar also grew, reaching QR 30.1 billion in Q3 2024, up 4.1% from the same period in 2023, though slightly down by 1.1% compared to Q2 2024.

Qatar’s strong tourism performance underlines its growing appeal as a destination, while trade shows resilience amid changing global trends.