Qatar

As a strategic priority for national development, the tourism sector is showing promise, and visitor numbers, particularly from the GCC, are on the rise. Business travellers are the mainstay of the sector, though Qatar’s growing status as a sports and shopping destination is also enhancing long-term potential, while a growing regional cruise market and a new port in Doha are raising interest and...

Qatar’s telecoms sector has put itself on a sound footing, thanks to ongoing investments in domestic and global operations. With a solid fixed network, a growing satellite market and sprawling 3G coverage, residents enjoy high connectivity. The ever-rising demand for mobile data has already fuelled a drive for 4G coverage and could prove lucrative to providers even as the use of voice and SMS...

With data from the Qatar Central Bank showing that real estate prices rose by 103% between July 2009 and September 2013, the local market shows signs of steady recovery from the global financial crisis in 2008. The increase in prices points to growing confidence in the market and strong supporting fundamentals. Much of this growth can be attributed to government reforms that relaxed the rules for...

The construction sector grew by 13% y-o-y in third-quarter 2013, driven primarily by spending on transport infrastructure. With more than $222bn of projects in the pipeline, sector growth has been forecast at 15% for 2014, while spending on infrastructure is set to reach $150bn in the run-up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The scale of construction activity in the region has created some challenges...

Qatari authorities’ emphasis on infrastructure development is not surprising. Trade remains a key component of the state’s economic livelihood. Between 2000 and 2012, transport and communications’ share of GDP nearly tripled from 2.2% to 6.9%. Qatar allotted $45bn to finance transport infrastructure in 2013, and looking ahead, a growing transport and logistics sector fits within the government’s...

Building on Qatar’s comparative advantages, the government has focused on developing industrial sectors that support or leverage its energy resources and industry. Developing downstream facilities that add value to energy by-products, for example, has helped build a portfolio of petrochemicals, chemicals and fertiliser companies. Other investments include developing energy-intensive industries in...