DEVELOPMENT OF QATAR’S TOURISM INDUSTRY IN THE ASPECT OF HOLDING THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP

Abstract

Problem Statement and Purpose. One of the thematic types of event tourism is sport events of national or international level. At the end of 2010, Qatar for the first time in its history received the right to host one of the largest sport competitions in the world – the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which will help increase the tourist flow to the country at the expense of fans (about 1.1 million foreign tourists are expected during the month). As a result, it becomes relevant to research the development of the tourism sector of the Qatar’s economy to meet the needs of potential visitors. The purpose of the article is to assess the development of the tourism industry in Qatar in the aspect of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.Data & Methods. The information base of the research consists of statistics and ma­terials that are set out in the Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030, statistics and materials of the Qatar National Tourism Council and materials from the official website of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In the process of research such research meth­ods as analytical, descriptive, comparative, statistical were used.Results. Getting the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup has not only given im­petus, but at this stage is one of the main factors and a catalyst for the development of Qatar’s tourism industry. The described recreational potential of the host cities of the 2022 FIFA World Cup testifies to significant opportunities of development within their limits of various kinds of recreational activities and types of tourism. Of partic­ular value are the available historical and cultural recreational and tourist resources of cities.The analyzed existing and projected indicators of the country’s tourism activity give grounds to claim that the future sport event will have a positive impact on the func­tioning of the tourism industry in Qatar. So, according to forecasts, the total contribu­tion of tourism to the structure of Qatar’s gross domestic product as of 2022 will be about 3.9% compared to 2.6% in 2012, and the projected number of jobs in the coun­try’s tourism sector will grow from 25 thousand people to 84 thousand people over the same period. The number of international tourist arrivals in 2022 will be about 5 million visitors compared to 1.2 million visitors in 2012. In 2012, the average length of stay in the country was 3.2 days. In 2022, this figure will increase to 3.9 days. The dynamics of domestic tourist travel is also expected to be positive – from 1.3 million tourists in 2012 to 2.1 million tourists in 2022.Numerous infrastructure projects implemented in preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup will contribute to the further development of Qatar’s tourism industry, the growth of tourist flows in the future, increase in the number of sport events, competi­tions in various sports, increase the level of tourism potential, enhance the country’s tourist attractiveness, strengthen the state’s position in the tourist services market, the formation and approval of Qatar’s specialization in international tourism.