Winning the bid to host the 2022 World Cup has propelled the tiny Gulf state of Qatar into the global tourism spotlight — but now the real challenge begins.
Jubilation greeted the news that Qatar will be hosting the world’s largest sporting event in 2022 — the first Arab country in history ever to do so. The achievement is an incredible one for a nation whose football team has never even qualified to play in the World Cup, added to the fact that Qatar beat off competition from the US by 14 votes to eight.
Some of the biggest cheers came from Qatar’s tourism and hospitality sector which is hoping that the World Cup, watched by millions around the world will be the key to propelling Qatar into the international tourism spotlight, as well as establishing the tiny Gulf state as a sports tourism destination on an international level.
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Mohammed Al Ansari, head of Licensing & Classification Tourism Activities, Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) said Qatar is already seeing a new surge in interest from prospective tourists, since FIFA made the shock announcement in December.
“The Qatar 2022 announcement is not just a wonderful opportunity for the country, but also a bonus for the tourism industry. Already we are seeing new interest in Qatar as a destination,” he confirmed.
Tourism is a major plank in Qatar’s strategy to diversify its economy — the country receives roughly 1 million visitors a year and expects growth of 20% in tourism over the next five years.
Currently 90% of visitors come to Qatar for business reasons alone, but the QTA is hoping the World Cup will entice a whole new segment of visitors to the destination: “With the 2022 announcement, and the events and opportunities ahead of this, we expect to see a significant rise in visitors here for tourism, culture and sporting events,” said Al Ansari.
Abdul Aziz Al Emadi, CEO of Qatari hospitality company Dohaland Hospitality believes the World Cup win puts Qatar in the running to promote itself as a “new tourism destination in general and very much a sports tourism destination specifically.”
“I can see the future impact of the World Cup will be very positive on the tourism industry,” he said. “In the long run, the country will have all the capabilities and requisite infrastructure to host other big international sport events and attract tourists and visitors on regular basis.”
Al Emadi has been involved with major sporting events in Qatar in the past, as accommodation advisor to the Doha Asian Games in 2006, but said: “the World Cup is on a totally a different scale — here, Qatar will have the greatest opportunity and potential to be distinguished as an international tourist destination in the coming years, until the World Cup and beyond.”
What's the game plan?
In order to cope with the huge influx of fans predicted to descend on Doha. Qatar will undergo a massive spending spree to bring tourism infrastructure up to scratch. Luckily, for the world’s biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas, money is no object.
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