Qatar’s hospitality sector has seen significant growth compared to previous years, accompanied by a substantial increase in tourist numbers. Approximately 90% of hotel rooms in Qatar are classified as four-star or five-star, while most hotel apartments fall under the ‘deluxe’ category.
The first half of this year recorded a record number of tourist arrivals in Qatar. The rise in tourist numbers has also boosted the performance of hotels in recent months.
According to the National Planning Council (NPC), 2.6 million people visited Qatar in the first half of 2024, marking a 28% increase compared to the previous record during the first half of last year.
Saudi Arabia remains Qatar’s largest source of visitors, accounting for 29% of total arrivals. Overall, 45% of visitors come from GCC countries. India ranks as the second-largest market, contributing 8% of total visitors.
As explained by Cushman & Wakefield in its Q3 2024 Real Estate Market Review, while the tourism sector continues to grow, the pace of new hotel development has slowed. Following a decade of strong growth, fewer than 1,000 hotel keys were added over the past 12 months. This is significantly lower than the annual average of over 2,800 keys added between 2014 and 2023. The total supply of hotel rooms and hotel apartments in Qatar now stands at just under 40,000 keys.
