Capitalising on its status as one of the world's highest spenders on healthcare (12% of its annual budget), Qatar’s health tourism strategy aims to attract international visitors seeking high-quality healthcare services, Qatar Tourism Chairman HE Saad bin Ali Al-Kharji told the Qatar Economic Forum 2025.
Speaking Wednesday, he highlighted Qatar's significant annual investment in healthcare, allocating a substantial 12% of its state budget – one of the highest expenditures globally – as a cornerstone of this new tourism thrust.
“We at Qatar Tourism look at it as like it’s an opportunity, and we worked very closely with the Ministry of Public Health to develop the new health tourism strategy and we just finished it and presented it to the Prime Minister,” he stated during the discussion, moderated by Joumanna Bercetche of Bloomberg Television.
Al-Kharji said the strategy seeks to take advantage on this vast government investment, inviting global audiences to “come, enjoy our quality healthcare, and our quality and safety in the city”.
He stressed that this move is not about increasing visitor numbers but attracting a demographic that values and is willing to extend their stay for high-quality specialised services.
To achieve this, the QT chairman noted that Qatar is looking to integrate advanced technology, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), to promote its healthcare offerings. “This is what we are focusing on with AI with big tech companies in Doha, and put tourism more closely with the people to let people, everyone, to know what they can have and what they can enjoy here in Doha,” al-Kharji explained.
Beyond medical services, he said Qatar is investing in ensuring a high-quality visitor experience across all touchpoints. He cited the “Qatar Excellence Academy,” an initiative covering all aspects of the tourism sector, from museums and tour guides to DMCs and taxi drivers, actively educating service providers both within and outside Doha about the nation's diverse attractions and high standards.
He said this is done with the support of international partners like Accor, whose Group Chairman and CEO Sébastien Bazin also spoke at the forum.
The 'Tourism in Focus' session also addressed broader themes, including luxury tourism, sustainability, Gulf competition, highlighting Qatar's comprehensive approach to shaping its tourism future.
