Qatar
Qatar Welcomed 4 Million Visitors in 2023, Announces Calendar Including Asian Cup, Doha Expo, F1, Web Summit and More
Qatar Tourism announced that Qatar received more than 4 million visitors in 2023 and unveiled the 2024 Qatar Calendar.
Qatar Tourism launched a full-year calendar for 2024, showcasing more than 80 unique events for the year.
From works of art only ever exclusively displayed at New York’s The Met to the world’s largest technology conference, Web Summit, brought to the region for the very first time, Qatar is set to see a major line-up of cultural events, sporting championships, thought-provoking summits, e-mobility panels, and much more in 2024.
Some of the biggest events featured in the upcoming year ahead:
- AFC Asian Cup: Football event will be hosted from January 12 to February 10 in six stadiums, with 24 national football teams competing with one another. The AFC Asian Cup attests to the country’s ongoing sporting legacy as one of the largest sporting events of the year. The tournament is set to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors during its month-long run, with attractions surrounding the stadiums for visitors to enjoy, complementing the matches.
- Doha Expo: The region’s first international horticultural exhibition, Doha Expo, runs until March 28, 2024, giving visitors a platform to engage with local and international agricultural organisations.
- Shop Qatar 2024: Runs from January 1 to 27, with incredible discounts in stores, raffle draws, and entertainment spread out in malls. There are a total of 13 malls participating that visitors can explore, with hundreds of shops featuring different offers and entertainment.
- Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition 2024: Celebrating 20 years of luxury and opulence, next year’s DJWE will see special celebratory elements, including exclusive designer collaborations and the finest jewellery reveals. Taking place over February 5–11, 2024, DJWE will be held at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre.
- Qatar International Food Festival 2024: The biggest culinary celebration in the country, the International Food Festival 2024 is returning on February 7, 2024, and will run until February 17, with a diverse selection of food and beverages.
- Web Summit: The world’s largest technology conference, Web Summit, will be hosted in Qatar from February 26 to 29, 2024, marking the first time it has ever been hosted in the Middle East and North Africa region.
- World Aquatics Championships Doha 2024: The World Aquatics Championships Doha 2024 is taking place from February 2 to 18 at Aspire Dome, Old Doha Port, and Hamad Aquatic Centre. This tournament will host 2,600 top athletes from over 190 countries for 75 medal events, with an opportunity for athletes to qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.
- Ooredoo Doha Marathon 2024: The renowned Ooredoo Doha Marathon 2024 is returning on February 16 with five different distances and timings to sign up for. The event also promotes accessibility, with people of different abilities welcomed to compete in selected categories and up to 21 km.
- Katara International Arabian Horse Festival: The Katara International Arabian Horse Festival will run from January 24 to February 4 and will showcase different purebred horses in competition with each other.
- Qatar International Rally: The rally will be returning in 2024 from February 1 to 3, with 13-time defending champion from Qatar, Nasser Al Attiyah, participating once again. This tournament will be a great opportunity for motorsport fans to witness the sturdiness and thrill of competitive rallying.
- Marmi Festival: Emphasising the national bird of Qatar, the Marmi Festival returns on January 1–27, 2024, to exhibit falconry in Sealine. The event provides a platform for falcon hunters to honour the Bedouin tradition of falcon hunting.
- Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix 2024: The Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix 2024 is scheduled towards the end of the year, from November 29 to December 1, 2024, at the Lusail International Circuit.
- Autonomous e-Mobility Forum: The Ministry of Transport will be hosting the Autonomous e-Mobility Forum from April 30 to May 2, 2024, which is an event that is the first of its kind. This event aims to serve as a platform to highlight the implementation of and recommendations for driverless e-mobility from a technological and policy-planning perspective.
- 4th Annual Qatar Economic Forum: The 4th annual Economic Forum, in partnership with Bloomberg, will be held from May 14 to 16, 2024. The forum will bring international leaders, businessmen, academics, and entrepreneurs together to present and discuss aspects pertinent to the global economy.
