Qatar experiences travel boom
A rising population and more airlines operating here with increasing frequencies can be cited as reasons for an almost 15 percent yearly growth in the tour and travel trade’s revenues in the past five to six years.
Some bigger travel agencies privately admit their year-on-year business growth is even larger, at between 25 and 35 percent.
Cash-rich Qataris, according to market sources, constitute the majority (almost 60 percent) of the premium class clientele. Tour operators have multiplied manifold in number in the country over the past several years.
An official of a large and popular travel agency said, asking not to be named, that after the massive salary raise for Qatari public servants and defence personnel in late 2011, leisure travel in premium classes by Qataris rose enormously.
However, talking generally about the travel industry’s growth here, market sources say it is mainly propelled by the rising population.
Source: The Peninsula | Photo: architectonboard in the QL Flickr Group
