RIYADH: Qatar registered a 78 percent year-on-year increase in visitors in August 2023, data released by the Planning and Statistics Authority showed.
Some 264,000 travelers went to the country, although this was an 8.5 percent decrease when compared to July 2023.
The boom comes as Qatar’s post-FIFA World Cup tourism efforts are continuing to gain momentum.
In July, the nation witnessed a 91.4 percent year-on-year surge in visitors, totaling an estimated 288,000, underlining the country’s push to strengthen the tourism and cultural sectors.
The surge can be attributed to a mix of events, including Expo 2023 Doha, the Formula One Qatar Grand Prix, the Geneva International Motor Show Qatar, and a series of international concerts.
The Qatar Monthly Statistics bulletin indicated that 43 percent of visitors in August hailed from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. It added that most of them arrived by air, accounting for 62 percent of the total number.
In August, the total number of ships arriving at Qatar’s ports saw a 10.3 percent increase compared to July 2023. Moreover, the overall net tonnage of ships also experienced a surge, registering a 22.1 percent increase compared to the previous month.
In the banking sector, the country’s total broad money supply for August reached approximately 685 billion Qatari riyals ($185.95 billion), reflecting an annual increase of 1 percent compared to August 2022.
Conversely, cash equivalents, including commercial bank deposits, witnessed a 4.7 percent annual decrease during the same period, amounting to 928 billion riyals.
The monthly bulletin also revealed that social security statements reached 78 million riyals in August, benefiting 14,488 people. This represented a 3.6 percent monthly decrease in the value of social security and a marginal 0.2 percent monthly decrease in the number of beneficiaries.
Regarding building permits, the total number issued increased, reaching 666 approvals in August. This marked a 5 percent monthly increase but represented a 15.1 percent annual decrease.
In the transportation sector, August witnessed the registration of 7,545 new vehicles, reflecting a 22.8 percent monthly rise, though this marked a 14.6 percent annual decrease.
