Well, it's good to talk about tourism. It's an uplifting sector to talk about. One of the more fun, fun titles to be on today. Your Excellency, I want to start with you. I know tourism has been a big focus in Qatar, part of the diversification efforts. The numbers were really good. They were solid for last year. You're already at 5 million tourists versus your 2036 million target. So you're getting very close to your 2030 target. Exactly. Talk to us about how important you expect the tourism sector to be as a driver of Qatar's growth in the next few years.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani
0:34 ↗
Amazing. Firstly, I'm very happy to be with you on the stage with my brother Sebastian here and talking to this beautiful audience. As you know, everybody in the region, globally, they are looking to increase the number of visitors in Doha or in Qatar. We succeeded to reach 5 million visitors in 2024, which is like 25% increase from 23. But let take this opportunity when Sebastian here on the stage with me, we are focused more on room nights. First time we reach more than 10 million room nights in 2024, which is a metric allows us to measure the economic impact or economic growth. This is the most important, I think, for us in Qatar. And everybody agrees hoteliers knows about cost, which is give you indications and numbers about where the tourists come from and how long they stay and things. And I'm very happy to find Qatar ranking number one in the region with the growth around 22% and room nights, which even all Dubai or Saudi taking the lead and headlines. But number two and three is Abu Dhabi and Kuwait for growth of room nights around between ten and 8%. We are building on this and try to drive this numbers to grow and to have real impact on our economy.
Is it fair to say that it's not just about the number of tourists who come in, but how long they stay and come?
Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani
2:15 ↗
Yes, this is what we are trying to focus on what how long they can stay in Doha to extend the staycation here in Doha and what to find what the people looking for here in Doha about the adventure, the sun, sea and sand, more quality time with the families, and to use the diversified offering here in our city in Doha. And Michael Bublé, if you're here this week. Yes, Michael Bublé Friday, I hope everybody have just that.
So yesterday I had the opportunity to speak to His Excellency, the Prime Minister, and he said one line that caught a lot of attention that the World Cup was sort of like an IPO moment for for Qatar. Yes. So it's publicly trading, though. Qatar said, to continue the analogy. What are the next big events we can watch out for and the next few years?
Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani
3:03 ↗
Actually, the big events, non-stop activity for us to host here in Doha and to utilise the great infrastructure we have the stadiums, the venues, the transportation, the connectivity, the great connectivity which Qatar Airways to provide also. So we the end of this year we are hosting two big tournaments. FIFA World Cup under 70 and an Arab Cup for the second time here in Doha and the F1. So there are three major sports events happening in the last quarter of this year. And around it, there is many, many events in our calendar to activate this great event and the upcoming. And at the moment we are hosting the World Cup for table tennis and the 2027 basketball World Cup and 2030. We will host the Asian Games for the second time.
Okay, so there's a lot to look forward to. Sebastian, let me turn to you. I guess it's music to your ears to hear that His Excellency wants to focus on the number of nights extending the number of nights that the tourists that remain in the country. How do you look to take advantage of that?
Well, I guess the first thing to say for me is I am in his hand. Yeah, it's kind of actually interesting to admit we are extruded depending from one another. I am depending on the government of Qatar in terms of vision, ambition, tourism plan with Excellency is now leading. And of course, for him to deploy and execute, he is a little bit depending on me and my peers. But let's start first with he is the decision maker and I have to listen and I have to basically be devil's advocate and then I have to make sure I can fulfill the promise. That being said, I. People probably don't realize it, but I came the first time in this country in 1992. 33 years ago. And I've been coming to this country well above 100 times over the last 30 years. And so and we have the same baby blues. We as French. We missed the Olympic of last year. That was the best time ever for France, you and Qatar. And I'm with you. We missed the soccer. I still have nostalgia because, you know, it's nostalgia because that was the best time of all of us basically describing the best of Qatar and the best of friends. So now we basically have to play on it, build on it and revive it. And it's not that easy. What I've been saying for a lot of time, which is why I love this country, is you have everything. Qatar has everything from the very first day started with Qatar Foundation, with university, with schools, with hospitals. Then Qatar Airways is a gem. But a lot of people don't know of the existence of Qatar Museum and so many other things. So what do we need to do together since it exists? So this is being invested. Can we please show it off? And this is where we are today. And it's and it's really building up for the last 24 months better than we all expected. Just have to get going.
Certainly sounds like it from the numbers. So let me just ask you about those numbers. Paraphrasing what His Excellency said. The numbers into Qatar are big growth of north of 20%. Other countries in the region also and the GCC around 10% ish. How does that compare to other pockets around the world?
Well, the world is very easy to predict. And I being please agree with me. Tourism, travel industry is a blessed industries in 1970. That industry has been growing between three and 5% per annum for the last 50 years. Supply and you supply has been growing one and a half to 2% per annum for the last 50 years. So you had a demand exiting supply by two times the next 20 years. For sure, demand is going to grow no longer 3 to 5, but probably 4 to 6. Supply will remain one and a half to two. So we're going into golden ages where demand is going to exceed supply by three times. Why you need three cylinders to grow. Do you have a higher demography in the world? And two is yes. Do you have the high growth of emerging middle class? Answer is yes. Do you have a higher means of transport? Whether it's road trains, airport? The answer is yes. Now, you've seen this issue and I was very happy. His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah talk before GCSE for me is one country. He's so right. And GCSE has been increasing since pre-COVID by 32% in terms of this nation, which is 95 million. Oddly enough, since I'm very French, it's still not there yet on France alone, which is 100 million. So but of course, this is going to be way beyond France in in probably in two years from today. So now it's a question you have the demand, you have the supply. And what's so interesting, out of the 1.6 billion people who travel, they go now much more to the Middle East, much more to Asia-Pacific and less to Europe. What we need to do is on any social media, any app in any corridor channel industry, we need to basically talk about it, which is why we had this forum today. And we need people to stay longer because it costs a fortune to get somebody to Doha, make sure they spend that extra tonight.
So would you say for a course specifically this is the fastest growing region in the world for your business? Yeah.
What people, when they travel one half of social media content is on travel and tourism and food and beverage. Half of it. Half of it is about souvenir. What is it that you like? You always forget what people say. You always forget what people act, but you don't forget what they make you feel. No, but I'm very serious. Everything about feeling, sentiment, memories, souvenir. This is very tough to execute. So what we need to do here, and which is why I'm so attached to Qatar Museum, Qatar to exhibit fashion industry, there's a lot of things you can do. So the luxury segment, which is easier than the standardised Midscale economy segment.
Your Excellency, talk me through what Qatar is doing on medical tourism. This is an interesting conversation you and I were having in the back, and I'd love to hear more about it and what your plans are. Exactly.
