QT unveils Qatar Calendar 2026-27

Qatar Tourism (QT) recently unveiled the Qatar Calendar 2026-2027, which highlights a vast array of over 560 cultural, entertainment, and sports events, coordinated by nearly 780 key stakeholders. This calendar, managed through Visit Qatar, serves as a national platform, streamlining the country's event lineup. Promotional strategies encompass 35,000 monthly print distributions, international digital distribution across 120 countries, and promotion via Visit Qatar's website and mobile app.

Saad bin Ali al-Kharji, Chairman of Qatar Tourism and Visit Qatar, emphasized the calendar's role in connecting Qatar globally while promoting events to both local and international audiences. He highlighted tourism as a crucial pillar for Qatar's economic diversification under the Qatar National Vision 2030, stressing continued investment in major projects, digital solutions, and public-private partnerships.

Hassan bin Abdullah al-Thawadi, Managing Director of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, underscored the importance of leveraging Qatar's advanced infrastructure, acquired from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, to host future global events like the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 and the Asian Games 2030. He added that the calendar amplifies the impact of sporting events, integrating sporting passion with cultural, entertainment, shopping, and culinary experiences.

Eng Abdulaziz Ali al-Mawlawi, CEO of Visit Qatar, detailed promotional initiatives, including monthly print runs, outdoor advertising, cinema promos, and in-flight promotional videos on Qatar Airways. He noted a surge in user activity on the calendar's platform, with 230,000 users in 2026, up from 105,000 in 2025, and 1.6 billion social media engagements this year.

A unified digital ticketing platform linked to Visit Qatar is set to launch by the end of the year, while the Hayya Platform prepares to introduce new incentive packages for visa holders. Al-Thawadi emphasized the importance of leveraging Qatar's infrastructure and expertise to host major global events, positioning the country as a global hub for event management.

He highlighted that tourism remains vital for Qatar's economic diversification, with major projects, digital solutions, and partnerships driving growth. Al-Kharji also stressed the role of tourism and major events in driving economic value across various sectors, supporting job creation and SMEs, and aiming to increase tourism's contribution to GDP to 12% by 2030.

He highlighted digital tourism and accessibility, noting seamless travel experiences through the Hayya Platform and visa-free entry for citizens of over 100 countries. The Memorandums of Cooperation signed with entities such as Qatar Rail, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, MELT Live, and Aspire Zone Foundation further strengthen Qatar's position as a global hub for tourism and mega-events.