Qatar Tourism has launched the Qatar Calendar 2026-2027, featuring more than 560 events across culture, entertainment and sports. The calendar has been developed in partnership with nearly 780 stakeholders and is delivered through Visit Qatar as a unified platform for the country’s event lineup.
The calendar brings together events taking place across Qatar and is aimed at promoting the destination to both local and international audiences. As part of its promotional strategy, monthly print distribution will increase to 35,000 copies, while the calendar will also be distributed digitally across 120 countries in coordination with Qatari embassies, as well as through the Visit Qatar website and mobile application.
HE Chairman of Qatar Tourism and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Visit Qatar Saad bin Ali Al Kharji stated that the calendar acts as an integrated system connecting Qatar with the world while promoting events to local and international audiences.
Al Kharji added that tourism remains a key pillar of Qatar’s economic diversification strategy under Qatar National Vision 2030, with continued investment in major projects, digital solutions and public-private partnerships aimed at strengthening the country’s tourism sector.
Speaking during a panel discussion at the launch, Al Kharji highlighted the role of tourism and major events in generating economic activity across hospitality, retail and transportation, while also supporting employment and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
He noted that these efforts support Qatar’s goal of increasing the tourism sector’s contribution to GDP to 12 percent by 2030.
Al Kharji also highlighted the importance of digital tourism and accessibility, pointing to travel services facilitated by the Hayya Platform and visa-free entry procedures for citizens of more than 100 countries.
Reflecting on the legacy of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Al Kharji said the tournament contributed to changes in regional perception, infrastructure development and visitor growth, with arrivals doubling in 2023 compared to 2022.
He also highlighted Visit Qatar’s focus on specific international markets through targeted campaigns, including the Hayya Summer initiative, launched in May to attract family tourism from Qatar, the GCC and neighbouring regions.
HE Managing Director of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy Hassan bin Abdullah Al Thawadi highlighted the importance of using the infrastructure and expertise developed for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 to support future international sporting events, including the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 and Asian Games 2030.
Speaking at the panel discussion, Al Thawadi said Qatar has strengthened its position in global event management and is increasingly drawing on Qatari talent for international tournaments.
He also noted that the Qatar Calendar aims to extend the impact of sporting events beyond stadiums by connecting sports with culture, entertainment, shopping and culinary experiences.
Abdulaziz Ali Al Mawlawi CEO of Visit Qatar Eng. outlined several initiatives to increase awareness of the calendar. These include the 35,000-copy monthly print run, outdoor advertising, cinema promotions and dedicated in-flight videos on Qatar Airways flights.
According to Al Mawlawi, user activity on the calendar’s platform reached 230,000 users in 2026, compared with 105,000 in 2025. The platform also recorded 1.6 billion social media engagements during the year.
He announced that a unified digital ticketing platform linked with Visit Qatar is expected to launch by the end of the year, while the Hayya Platform is also preparing new incentive packages for visa holders.
Qatar recorded more than 5 million visitors in 2025, while hotel occupancy exceeded 71 percent, representing 10.8 million room nights. The tourism sector also supported more than 163,000 jobs in the local labour market.
Alongside the calendar launch, Visit Qatar signed several memorandums of cooperation and strategic partnerships with entities including Qatar Railways Company (Qatar Rail), the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, MELT Live and Aspire Zone Foundation.
The agreements are aimed at strengthening cooperation and creating opportunities around future events and initiatives.
Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Railways Company (Qatar Rail) Jassim Mohammed Al Ansari said the memorandum with Visit Qatar reflected Qatar Rail’s commitment to strengthening public transportation’s role in supporting the country’s tourism and events sector.
He added that through the partnership, Qatar Rail looked forward to leveraging Doha Metro and Lusail Tram services to facilitate visitor access to destinations and events, while increasing awareness of public transportation options.
Al Ansari added that the partnership is intended to strengthen integration between Qatar’s rail-based public transportation system and its tourism sector, supporting easier access to events and tourist destinations and contributing to a more integrated and sustainable tourism experience.
With its 2026-2027 calendar, Qatar is bringing together its cultural, sporting and entertainment programming on a single platform while continuing to build partnerships across the tourism, events and transportation ecosystem.
