(MENAFN) Qatar recorded more than 2.6 million international visitors in the first six months of 2025, marking a 3% year-on-year rise compared to the same period in 2024, according to a statement released Monday by Visit Qatar, the promotional division of Qatar Tourism.

Regional travel played a major role in the uptick. Tourists from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries made up the largest share at 36% of total arrivals. Meanwhile, European visitors comprised 26%, with travelers from Asia and Oceania accounting for 22%. Arrivals from the Americas and other Arab nations each represented 7%.

“We will continue to deepen cooperation at local, regional, and international levels, expand strategic partnerships, and participate in major global forums,” said Saad bin Ali Al Kharji, chairman of Qatar Tourism, in the statement.

In a separate announcement earlier this year, Qatar Tourism reported that the travel and tourism sector added 55 billion Qatari riyals (roughly $15.11 billion USD) to the national GDP in 2024. That figure equates to around 8% of the country’s total economic output — a 14% increase from 2023.

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