09-07-2025
Qatar hosts over 80 major events a year: Official
QNA
Doha
Executive Director to the Permanent Committee for Organising Conferences (PCOC) Mubarak Ajlan Mubarak Al Kuwari has said that over 80 major international events now take place in Qatar every year, across diplomacy, technology, sports, trade and culture.
Al Kuwari noted that many are strategically coordinated by the Permanent Committee for Organizing Conferences (PCOC), aligning global conversations with Qatar's national vision.
Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), he said that these events have made Qatar a venue for dialogue and innovative solutions, adding that when people think of Qatar today, they no longer picture just a small desert nation in the Gulf, but see a connectivity hub that brings the world together and a trusted international partner.
He noted that the Doha Forum and Qatar Economic Forum brought together more than 8,500 people from over 160 countries. Almost half of them came from abroad to exchange ideas on everything from global development to humanitarian crises.
He added that Web Summit Qatar 2025 saw more than 25,000 participants, 1,520 startups, and hundreds of investors and companies gathered in Doha, transforming the capital into a livewire of innovation and tech energy.
Al Kuwari highlighted Qatar's role as a trusted international partner. From high-level GCC summits to interfaith dialogues and ministerial meetings, Qatar continues to be the place where the region, and increasingly the world, comes to talk, listen, and collaborate.
'In less than a decade, Qatar has evolved into a thriving international hub, and at the heart of this transformation lies a powerful force: events. From cultural festivals to global summits, Qatar's deliberate investment in hosting meaningful, world-class gatherings is reshaping its place on the map, and in the minds of millions,' he said.
He added that the past year alone saw over five million international visitors arrive in Qatar, marking a 25 percent jump from 2023. Nearly 10 million hotel room nights were sold, a record that speaks to the country's growing magnetism. And 2025 is already off to a strong start, with 1.5 million international visitors in just the first quarter, with average hotel occupancy hitting 71 percent.
He noted that visitors were arriving from across the Gulf, Europe, Asia and beyond, drawn by the country's relentless rhythm of events.
Al Kuwari said that none of this would be possible without the deep foundation Qatar has built over the years, starting with Hamad International Airport, repeatedly named one of the world's best, connects Doha to more than 170 cities.
Inside the country, the sleek Doha Metro and network of highways make it easy for visitors to get where they need to go, whether it's a business summit at a state-of-the-art convention center or a cultural gathering in Katara.
He described all the factors feeding into Qatar's hosting of the events were a winning formula.
Al Kuwari pointed to data from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC),
51 percent of international visitors in 2025 came by air, 34 percent by land, and 15 percent by sea, a testament to the country's multi-access strategy.
He noted that Qatar has built not just connections, but confidence: this year, Doha was ranked the second safest city in the world, giving both event organisers and tourists peace of mind.
Al Kuwarisaid that none of this momentum came out of nowhere, as the State of Qatar proved its hosting credentials on the world's biggest stage during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and that legacy continues to ripple outward. The numbers tell a compelling story: Qatar's events industry is expected to grow by over 11 percent annually, reaching nearly $4.65 billion by 2032.
