Eid in Qatar festivities in May drove a strong influx of visitors to the country during the month, with international arrivals at 166,000, out of which visitors from Saudi Arabia constituted 40%, while the GCC overall made up 54%.

Supported by the easing of public health measures, the latest tourism performance data represents more than a quarter of all visitors welcomed over the first five months of this year. And capitalising on Qatar’s close proximity and ease of access, the proportion of total arrivals by land exceeded that of air for the very first time, with visitors opting to drive through the open and operative Abu Samra border.

The latest data on visitor arrivals point to a steady recovery of Qatar’s tourism sector, with the year-to-date total (580,000) fast approaching the overall arrivals figure of 2021 (611,000). Furthermore, arrivals in May this year are 25% higher than that of May 2019, demonstrating a return to pre-pandemic levels of tourism as public health measures for travel ease.

Chief Operating Officer of Qatar Tourism (QT), Berthold Trenkel said: “Qatar has long been a popular destination for GCC nationals and residents, and we are delighted to witness the strong return of visitors from the region. Furthermore, while air travel remains a strong pillar of our tourism strategy, attracting visitors from all corners of the globe, we are pleased to see an influx of visitors leveraging Qatar’s multiple points of access and visiting Qatar via its land and sea borders.

“2022 has been a pivotal year for the tourism sector and we’re excited to build on this growth as we enter the summer season. Looking ahead, we are confident that upcoming celebrations centred on Eid Al Adha will further encourage arrivals from the region, as visitors enjoy a range of entertainment offerings which are in keeping with the country’s values and traditions.”

Qatar Tourism recently launched a monthly release of events and activities, available on qatarcalendar.com . A handy guide for residents and visitors alike, the calendar is set to be an easily accessible tool that can help visitors make the most of their stay in Qatar. With the summer season in full swing and Eid Al Adha holidays soon upon us, visitors can expect the next issue of the calendar to highlight special festive celebrations and summer events and activities, a QT statement said.

Visitors from the region have multiple access points to Qatar, by land, air and sea, and the option to drive into Qatar makes the destination particularly appealing. With a driving distance of 584 km from Riyadh (equivalent to around 6 hours of driving), and 554 km from Abu Dhabi (equivalent to around 5 hours and 25 minutes of driving), Qatar is an ideal destination for an exciting holiday within close proximity, it added. – TradeArabia News Service