Qatar's $220 billion tourism boost, will it pay off?

Qatar is rolling out the red carpet for an expected total in excess of one million visitors for the FIFA World Cup and is aiming to attract up to six million a year by 2030.

Doha is a city with one of the fastest-growing hotel and hospitality markets in the world. The $220 billion spent on infrastructure since the successful World Cup bid of 2010 has helped boost the industry. Hotels have also been helped by the country’s geographic location.

According to the latest government figures, 80% of the world’s population is within a six-hour flight from Qatar. Over 150 new hotels have been built for the FIFA World Cup, and all of these expect to welcome tourists for years to come.

One of those new hotels is Pullman Doha West Bay, which is owned by the French multinational group Accor, it opened in August, with 460 rooms and suites ready to welcome guests. The hospitality industry has been seeing a strong rebound of demand back to pre-pandemic levels, and Accor is keen to capitalise on that.

The group’s CEO, Sébastien Bazin, explained how the company plans to do that to Euronews.

“Accor is opening one hotel per day on this planet, and it will continue to do so. So expand and control density and market share. Accor is the largest hotel company outside America and China, and I want Accor to remain number one outside China and America. So it’s between being disciplined, caretaking for the people working for Accor, making sure you have the right brands, and making sure you’re going to be preparing yourself for maybe some difficult times.”

Another hotel in Qatar that’s hosting some very important guests this month is the Ritz Carlton Doha. The luxury hotel and its 374 rooms and suites have been welcoming people in the country for 20