Doha, September 26 (QNA) - HE Chairman of Qatar Tourism and Chairman of Visit Qatar, Saad bin Ali Al Kharji, said that Qatar's tourism sector has had a journey marked by progress, resilience, and transformation throughout 2026.
In a statement marking World Tourism Day 2026, His Excellency added, "World Tourism Day provides an opportunity to reflect on the evolution of tourism and its role in creating long-term economic and social value for our country. As HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani affirmed in his address to the United Nations General Assembly, Qatar's resilience is rooted in forward planning, preparedness and sustained investment in people and national capabilities. These principles continue to guide our development and are equally reflected in the progress of Qatar's tourism sector.
For Qatar, 2026 has been a year of progress, resilience and transformation, reinforcing our belief that the future of tourism will be defined not only by how many people we welcome, but by the quality of the experiences we create and the strength of the ecosystem we build around them. Building on the record 5.1 million visitors welcomed in 2025, Qatar received approximately 2.338 million visitors by the end of August 2026. Despite regional challenges and disruption to travel, the industry has demonstrated its resilience, supported by close coordination across government, aviation, hospitality and the wider tourism community.
This spirit of collaboration extends across the GCC. As Qatar continues its role as GCC Tourism Capital in 2026, we remain committed to advancing greater regional cooperation and a more integrated tourism landscape across the Gulf. Joint tourism offerings, progress towards the unified GCC tourism visa and coordinated promotion across priority international markets will help facilitate more seamless travel across the region, broaden its appeal to international visitors and reinforce the GCC's collective presence on the global tourism landscape.
Hi Excellency explained that the theme of this year's World Tourism Day, 'Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism', reflects a transformation already taking shape in Qatar. Technology is increasingly enhancing every stage of the visitor journey, from digital entry through Hayya to destination discovery, trip planning and access to experiences. 
He added that Visit Qatar's use of generative AI is enabling more intuitive and personalised engagement with travellers, while its digital platforms are making it easier to discover events, attractions and activities across the country. The development of tools that simplify access to information and ticketing forms part of our wider ambition to deliver a seamless, digitally enabled visitor journey and ensure Qatar remains responsive to the changing expectations of travellers.
"As we look towards 2027, our focus remains on building a competitive, innovative and future-ready tourism sector that creates lasting value for Qatar. This means continuing to diversify and enrich our tourism offering, from culture and entertainment to sport, wellness and culinary experiences, while ensuring service excellence at every touchpoint of the visitor journey," he said. 
"Equally important is investing in the people behind those experiences, strengthening skills and capabilities across the industry through initiatives such as the Service Excellence Academy and supporting the development of a highly skilled tourism workforce," he added."
Guided by Qatar National Vision 2030, these efforts will support economic diversification, attract investment and create opportunities for private-sector growth, while advancing Qatar's position as a globally connected destination." His Excellency affirmed.
"I extend my sincere appreciation to our partners in Qatar, across the region and internationally, whose contributions remain fundamental to achieving this shared ambition," he concluded. 
For his part, Chief Executive Officer of Visit Qatar, Eng. Abdulaziz Ali Al Mawlawi said "World Tourism Day 2026, under the theme 'Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism', comes at a time of significant change in how destinations engage with travellers and how people plan, access and experience travel. Qatar has been actively embracing this shift, alongside the continued evolution of its wider tourism offering."
He added that in 2026, the destination has maintained strong momentum despite regional challenges, supported by an increasingly diverse mix of attractions, culture, entertainment, family experiences, hospitality, gastronomy and outdoor activities. This is complemented by a growing programme of international and home-grown events, with the 2026/2027 Qatar Calendar bringing together more than 560 events in collaboration with over 780 organisations, creating more reasons to visit, explore and return throughout the year. 
"As our offering expands, our responsibility is to make experiencing Qatar as easy and intuitive as possible. Technology and AI are central to this ambition, enabling a more connected and responsive journey from the moment travellers seek inspiration and plan their trip through to accessing events and activities once they arrive," Eng. Al Mawlawi said.
"Visit Qatar was among the first in the region to introduce generative AI to tourism, and our AI-powered travel concierge is helping visitors explore the destination, build itineraries and plan their time through more personalised interactions," he added.
He continued: "We are building on this foundation with a unified digital ticketing platform, set to launch in the fourth quarter of this year. The platform will provide a more integrated gateway for visitors, event organisers, tourism operators and sector partners, streamlining access to events and activities and bringing more of Qatar's tourism ecosystem together in one place."
He went on saying: "We are also making it easier for visitors to stay connected with what is happening across Qatar. The new 'Visit Qatar Widget' provides quick access to upcoming events directly from a user's device, complementing the Visit Qatar app, which has surpassed 230,000 users in 2026, compared with approximately 105,000 in 2025. This growth reflects the increasing role technology plays in connecting audiences with the destination and helping them make more of their time in Qatar."
Eng. Abdulaziz Ali Al Mawlawi concluded saying: "The opportunity ahead is significant. At Visit Qatar, our focus is on driving demand for the destination while continuing to strengthen the experiences that underpin its appeal. This means working with our partners to enrich Qatar's events calendar, expand its leisure and luxury offerings, strengthen its position as a leading regional destination for business events, and champion service excellence across the tourism value chain. Through our international presence, global campaigns and digital platforms, we will continue to bring Qatar closer to audiences around the world, while supporting the sustainable growth of an industry that creates lasting value for the country." (QNA)