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Olympics bid aims to extend tourism gains

28 August 2025

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> Qatar banks on infrastructure for Olympic bid

 

Qatar’s bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games was launched less than three years after it hosted the Fifa World Cup 2022, an event that reshaped its international profile and delivered a significant short-term boost to the country’s tourism industry. 

Qatar has also been selected to host the Asian Games in 2030. This, together with an Olympic Games in 2036, will result in the same short-term spike in tourism numbers that the World Cup achieved, but it is also an opportunity to learn from past experiences and realise more sustainable and long-term gains from hosting a major event.

Tourism trends

Qatar’s tourism sector grew steadily before the Covid-19 pandemic, with 2.94 million arrivals recorded in 2015. Numbers then dropped sharply in 2020, when the pandemic reduced arrivals to just 581,659. 

Despite the downturn, Qatar continued to invest heavily in infrastructure, with an estimated $200bn-$300bn allocated to airports, roads, the metro system and other facilities. Stadium construction for the World Cup accounted for about $6.5bn of this total.

The 2022 World Cup attracted about 1 million visitors, with 700,000 staying in Qatar and the rest in neighbouring Gulf states. The event contributed an estimated 0.7%–1% of GDP in 2022. 

During the event, Qatar demonstrated its ability to manage large-scale events. It also seized the opportunity to showcase its modern infrastructure. 

According to projects tracker MEED Projects, over $5bn of hotel projects were completed in Qatar during the five years leading up to the World Cup. Other major projects, including stadiums and the $23bn Doha Metro network, were also completed ahead of the tournament. 

Tourism numbers rose sharply after the World Cup. In 2023, arrivals reached 4 million, a 60% increase compared to 2022. In 2024, arrivals rose further, to 5.1 million, up 25% year on year. 

Growth was supported by Qatar’s expanded events calendar – which included the AFC Asian Cup, Formula 1 and athletics meetings – as well as new visa policies and the growth of cruise tourism. GCC nationals accounted for 41% of visitors in 2024, with the largest share coming from Saudi Arabia.

Hotel performance

The performance of Qatar’s hotel sector illustrates the impact of these events. The KPMG Hotel Performance Index, launched in 2019 with a base value of 100, fell significantly in 2020 as occupancy and rates dropped during the pandemic. Recovery began in 2021, and in Q4 2022 the index spiked to 314, reflecting a surge in demand and rates during the World Cup.

In 2023, revenue per available room (revpar) returned closer to pre-event levels, but in the first quarter of 2024 the index climbed again to 139.9 during the AFC Asian Cup. By Q2 2025, the index stood at 118.8, above pre-pandemic performance. 

KPMG expects revpar to remain supported by upcoming international events.

With its infrastructure largely in place … Qatar is well positioned from a logistical standpoint

Olympic comparison

The Fifa World Cup and the summer Olympic Games differ significantly in scale and scope. The World Cup is a single-sport tournament lasting about one month. It generates high visitor numbers during the event year, but, according to academic studies, has limited impact on long-term tourism growth.

The Olympics, meanwhile, involves multiple sports and a larger number of participants, officials and visitors. Research suggests that the Olympic Games is associated with increased international arrivals, not only in the event year, but in the years before and after, with effects lasting up to two decades. This difference is attributed to the longer build-up and wider global media exposure associated with the Olympics.

The main challenge associated with hosting the Olympics is the potential “crowding-out” effect. This occurs when regular leisure and business travellers are deterred by concerns about congestion, high costs or security issues during the build-up to and staging of major events. Examples include Athens in 2004, which saw tourism decline in the run-up to the games, and more recently Paris in 2024.

Qatar’s tourism sector has become increasingly reliant on steady regional and family travel, meaning that any crowding-out could affect core source markets. Mitigation would require clear communication strategies and differentiated tourism offerings to ensure that non-Olympics visitors continue to be attracted.

Another issue is the broader reputational risk. Geopolitical considerations and international criticism surrounding labour and rights issues continue to influence perceptions of Qatar. These factors could shape how the country’s Olympic bid is received internationally and may affect the country’s ability to convert the games into long-term tourism gains.

Ultimately, the 2036 Olympics presents a different set of opportunities and risks to the World Cup. With its infrastructure largely in place and a proven record of hosting international events, Qatar is well positioned from a logistical standpoint. 

Key questions concern whether the games can deliver long-term tourism benefits, and how effectively risks such as crowding-out and reputational damage can be managed.

Qatar banks on infrastructure for Olympic bid 

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Colin Foreman

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