Qatar has a well-developed oil extraction industry, which accounts for about 70 per cent of government revenues, 60 per cent of GDP and more than 85 per cent of export earnings.

According to statistics, Qatar has a permanent population of about 2.8 million, of which Qatari citizen’s account for only 15%. The rest are foreign workers, mainly from India, Bangladesh and other countries. These foreign workers do most of the work across the country, while Qatari citizens mostly take the lighter jobs.

For Qatari citizens, there is no need to worry even if they have no job or industry. Qatar provides high unemployment compensation for Qatari citizens without any source of income, which is much higher than the salary of foreign workers. Therefore, Qatari citizens have no living pressure at all.

In addition to not having to worry about unemployment, other social benefits are excellent. For example, in terms of people’s livelihood, Qatar provides free medical care throughout the country. Citizens do not need to spend a penny to see a doctor. Not only do they get a doctor for free, but they also go to school for free. Far from being expensive, the Qatari government subsidizes its citizens.

Qatar’s per capita GDP is about 68,000 US dollars, which is the statistical data of all permanent residents, including foreign workers. If foreign workers are excluded and only Qatari citizens are counted, Qatar’s per capita GDP is extremely high. As a result, the per capita income of Qatari citizens is much higher than Qatar’s per capita GDP, which is a staggering amount of wealth. According to the International Monetary Fund, Qatar is exceptionally rich, with an average income of around $150,000 and rising, so why?

First, abundant oil and natural gas resources. Before the discovery of oil and gas, Qatar was a poor country. It was a hot, arid land that was not attractive to outsiders, and Qataris lived very poor lives. But after the discovery of oil, Qatar began to grow richer, especially after the end of British colonial rule in 1971, Qatar took back control of the oil and gas resources from the British, Qatar began to change dramatically.

According to statistics, Qatar has proven oil reserves of 2.5 billion tons, ranking the 13th in the world, and natural gas reserves of 24.7 trillion cubic meters, ranking the third in the world. Relying on the rich income of oil and gas resources, Qatar has rapidly accumulated a lot of wealth. A variety of high-end office buildings, hotels and residential buildings have been built up, and the whole country has taken on a new look. Moreover, Doha, the capital of Qatar, is also a sports city with a variety of large stadiums and the ability to host international sports events. Qatar is naturally getting richer as its wealth accumulates.

Second, we should develop a diversified economy. Qatar’s economy is dominated by the export of oil and gas resources, but the international oil price is not stable, which has a great impact on Qatar’s economy. To reduce this impact, Qatar has diversified its economic model, trying to develop manufacturing, environmental protection and other industries beyond the oil industry.

In addition, Qatar has created a national sovereign fund through huge oil income, and its investment territory covers all parts of the world. With the development of diversified economy, the income of Qatari citizens will not be affected even when the international oil price drops, and it still shows a trend of continuous growth. So for all these reasons, Qatar is so rich that even neighboring countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia have to take a back seat, but Qatar’s manufacturing sector is not so developed that it can’t be considered a developed country.

In recent years, Qatar’s tourism industry has experienced a major rebound, with significant growth and progress in visitor numbers, infrastructure upgrades and tourism governance. So far to promote the realization of the country’s economic diversification.

More than 145,600 tourists visited Qatar in June, compared with 24,200 in the same month last year, a 499.5 percent increase, according to the latest statistics released by the Qatar Planning and Statistics Agency.

According to the relevant data, the number of tourists from the Gulf tourism market was 59,620, followed by Asian countries and Oceania with about 33,709. That compares with about 10,000 visitors from other Arab countries and 24,500 from continental Europe.

A Qatari tourism industry source said the increase was due to Doha becoming one of the most famous and fastest-growing tourist destinations. Doha not only enjoys good tourism infrastructure, international brand hotel system, various museums, traditional and modern markets, but also has good transportation facilities. At the same time, it has built the first modern airport and five-star airlines in the Middle East. These are all reasons why Doha has become a popular tourist destination. The huge increase in the number of visitors to Qatar is also closely related to the proximity of the World Cup. Especially now and during the World Cup, Qatar is a popular destination that all travelers around the world want to know about.

Thanks to hosting the World Cup, Qatar will receive visitors from all over the world. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the tourism industry, so tourism officials must seize the moment and build on it to establish Qatar as one of the unique tourist destinations, both in the Middle East and worldwide.

Tourism has been a big growth industry in Qatar recently. And in a short period of time successfully promoted the realization of economic diversification, increased GDP, in addition to creating huge investment opportunities. In all these respects, Qatar’s tourism industry has played a very effective role.

Qatar Tourism is looking for ways to build a vibrant and sustainable tourism industry. The plan is for Qatar to attract six million tourists a year by 2030. At the same time, further strengthen Qatar’s position as a renowned tourist destination.

Economist Abdullah Al-Khater, on the other hand, believes a number of factors have contributed to the significant increase in tourist numbers, chief among them Qatar’s ability to contain the coronavirus pandemic. Qatar can bring life back to normal while still having all the ingredients to attract tourists. Investment in various sectors of the economy is also an important factor.

Hartl said in a media interview that the World Cup, which will be held in Qatar in a few months, has played an important role in increasing the number of visitors to Qatar. Especially given that the world is looking forward to the big sporting event, Qatar has launched a tourism promotion in response.

He added that Qatar’s reputation in political, economic and security fields had earned it an international reputation as a “capital of peace” and a global tourist destination. Especially compared with the Russia-Ukraine war, the region has been stable.

Mr. Hartl expects the number of visitors to double as the World Cup, the world’s most important soccer event, approaches. But he stressed that transforming Qatar into a destination for global tourists was the biggest challenge facing the industry in the coming months.

The Qatar Tourism Authority was established in 2021. Since its inception, it has been acting in place of the National Tourism Board, working with partners in the public and private sectors to implement the national tourism sector strategy. It is also working to enhance the visitor experience, diversify local tourism products, promote and strengthen promotional activities, and increase opportunities for private sector participation in tourism investment.

Crafts, cultural innovation and heritage Tours, desert hunting, food, health and leisure, free entertainment, sports, recuperation, tour groups, tourist accommodation and transportation services are the most popular projects in the field of tourism investment in Qatar.

Qatar Tourism sees the 2022 World Cup as an important point on its path to sustainable tourism. The Tourism Office is actively working with many partners, such as the Floating House Experience in collaboration with the Supreme Council for Delivery and Heritage and the Ministry of Transport and Communications, to accommodate the competition audience by developing the hospitality industry and innovating non-traditional accommodation solutions.

By Irving