Qatar aims to pass the 3 million tourist mark in 2015

Qatar is rising as a global tourism destination with this year on track to surpass the 3 million visitor mark for the first time in the country’s history.

For those numbers to keep rising, Chairman of the Qatar Tourism Authority Issa bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi said the industry’s stakeholders must collaborate more closely.

That effort is being helped by Qatar’s National Tourism Sector Strategy, which was completed in 2014. The Gulf nation’s tourism industry has made inroads in cross-sector collaboration and gained new momentum, becoming one of the fastest growing destinations in the world.

Large-scale events and festivals also are driving growth in Qatari tourism.

"The summer may be a traditionally slow season for most sectors in Qatar, but for the tourism industry it means the arrival of the Eid Al-Fitr Festival, followed closely by the Qatar Summer Festival 2015 and the Eid Al-Adha Festival," Al Mohannadi said. "These activities help to diversify and grow our country's tourism offering, and I call on our partners to make Qatar stand out this year.”

Al Mohannadi’s comments came at the Annual Tourism Industry Ghabga, which brings together hundreds of industry leaders, Qatar Tourism Authority stakeholders and partners at the St. Regis Doha.