Doha: Qatar recorded the world’s largest improvement in tourism price competitiveness and climbed 10 places to 47th globally in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026.
Qatar’s score in the index’s Price Competitiveness pillar improved by 49%, the largest increase among the economies assessed, while its overall Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) score rose by 6% compared with 2024.
Qatar also posted the fastest overall improvement in the Middle East.
The gain in price competitiveness stands out against a broader global trend of rising travel costs.
The WEF said price competitiveness deteriorated across most economies between 2024 and 2026 as tourism-related costs increased.
The Price Competitiveness pillar assesses factors affecting the cost of travelling and operating in a destination, including hotel prices and other travel-related costs.
The improvement therefore reflects changes in Qatar’s score under the WEF methodology rather than a designation of Qatar as the world’s cheapest tourism destination.
Qatar also recorded the second-largest improvement worldwide in Openness to Travel & Tourism, with its score rising by 12%. The results come as Qatar continues efforts to strengthen tourism as part of its wider economic diversification strategy and position the country as a year-round destination for leisure, business, sports and major international events.
Qatar welcomed 2.338 million visitors through its land, air and sea ports during the first eight months of 2026.
In 2025, the country welcomed 5.1 million visitors, up 3.7% from the previous year, according to Qatar Tourism.
The hospitality sector sold 10.8 million room nights, up 8.6% year-on-year, while total accommodation revenue reached QR8.3bn, up 12%,
The country has also stepped up international marketing and partnerships aimed at attracting visitors from key markets.
During 2025, Qatar Tourism and Visit Qatar activated more than 35 global strategic partnerships and delivered over 95 integrated marketing campaigns across 19 international markets.
Major sporting, cultural, entertainment and business events have become another central part of the strategy to maintain tourism demand throughout the year.
Qatar Calendar featured more than 600 events in 2025, while the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions sector welcomed more than one million international business visitors. Doha has also been designated GCC Tourism Capital for 2026.
Alongside international promotion and events, Qatar has increasingly turned to technology to improve the visitor experience.
At Web Summit Qatar 2026, Visit Qatar showcased its next-generation AI Concierge, which uses artificial intelligence to help travellers discover, plan and navigate experiences across the country.
Other digital initiatives presented included an Interactive Travel Journal and Qatar Calendar experiences designed to make destination information and trip planning more accessible to visitors.
Qatar has also expanded its digital infrastructure for international visitors through the Hayya platform, which processed nearly one million e-visa applications, according to Qatar Tourism’s 2025 performance report.
The latest WEF findings come as Qatar seeks to build on the tourism infrastructure and international profile developed in recent years while expanding its offering beyond major sporting events to include business tourism, culture, entertainment, family tourism and year-round experiences.
The Travel & Tourism Development Index assesses the factors and policies that enable sustainable and resilient tourism development.
The 2026 edition covers 110 economies and examines areas including the business environment, safety, digital readiness, openness to travel, price competitiveness, transport infrastructure, tourism services and sustainability.
