India Remains the Second Largest Source Market, Sending 24,000 Tourists to Qatar in August 2023

India has positioned itself as the second-largest source market for visitors to Qatar. While Saudi Arabia remains the dominant player, the rise of Indian tourists is noteworthy, especially as it leads the pack among non-Arab nations.

The global influx of visitors to Qatar amounted to 2.6 million between January and August 2023. The diverse mix of countries in the top 10 reaffirms Qatar's growing stature as a global tourism hub.

Saudi Arabia stands out as the most significant source of visitors for Qatar. In August 2023 alone, a staggering 73,000 Saudi Arabian visitors entered the country, amounting to 694,000 between January and August. This dominant figure gives Saudi Arabia a 26.6% share of total visitors to Qatar during this period.

Coming in second is India, which brought in 24,000 visitors in August 2023. From January to August, the cumulative number of Indian visitors stood at 274,000, representing a 10.5% share of the total visitors. Given the historical, economic, and cultural ties between the two nations, this number is not entirely surprising but certainly highlights the growing affinity of Indian tourists towards Qatar.

European nations are not far behind, with Germany ranking third. Though the numbers are comparatively lower at 110,000 visitors between January and August, it holds a significant 4.2% share of the total. This is closely followed by the USA at 107,000 visitors, representing a 4.1% share.

The Gulf countries continue to feature prominently on the list, highlighting the intra-Gulf travel trend. Kuwait contributed 101,000 visitors, while Oman and Bahrain stood at 95,000 and 93,000 respectively, each holding a little over a 3.5% share.

The UK charted 92,000 visitors with a 3.5% share, a figure that might be influenced by the shared historical ties and the significant expatriate population from the UK in Qatar. Meanwhile, the UAE and Pakistan wrapped up the top 10 list with 69,000 and 60,000 visitors respectively.