When Qatar was awarded the chance to prove its capital city, Doha, could host major events, it took full advantage when more than 1 million people visited for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Doha’s Al Bidda Park took center stage, along with the city’s cultural assets, top-tier hospitality, futuristic architecture and well-heeled infrastructure, all making the city an ideal meeting place.

The momentum continues to build. In 2025 Qatar welcomed more than 1 million international business visitors, while Visit Qatar secured 14 international bids for major events scheduled for 2026–2027. Major gatherings such as Doha Forum, Qatar Economic Forum, World Innovation Summit for Health and other exhibitions helped establish the city as a place where business, innovation and networking happen throughout the year. The annual Web Summit Qatar expects to draw 30,000 attendees; 1,600 exhibiting startups; and 800 investors to its January 2027 edition.

Qatar National Convention Centre © Typhoonski | Dreamstime

With more than 41,000 hotel rooms and 15-plus major event venues, Doha and the wider Qatar destination offer the scale and flexibility required for everything from executive meetings and incentive programs to international conferences and exhibitions.

Qatar National Convention Centre sits at the heart of Doha’s MICE business. Its scale allows organizers to stage everything from intimate corporate meetings to major international conferences and exhibitions. More than 2 million square feet of total venue space includes indoor and outdoor exhibition areas; a conference hall for up to 4,000 attendees; and 52 meeting rooms. Its Al Mayassa Theatre alone hosts up to 2,200.

Featuring seven exhibition halls and conference rooms, Doha Exhibition & Convention Center in West Bay hosts major events such as the Qatar Event Show and Qatar Travel Mart. The venue operates as five independent halls or as a single hall, one of the world’s largest. Nearby hotels include The Ritz-Carlton, Doha on West Bay Lagoon; Marriott Marquis City Center Doha; and InterContinental Doha – The City. Pullman Doha West Bay features a 14,000-square-foot ballroom and accommodates up to 1,200 attendees across its event spaces.

Interior of Doha Exhibition & Convention Center © Typhoonski | Dreamstime

Doha offers a wide range of MICE hotels such as Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel along the Corniche, with large-scale conference facilities. InterContinental Doha Beach & Spa boasts beachfront venues, while The St. Regis Doha’s grand ballroom measures nearly 20,000 square feet. Rosewood Doha in Lusail debuted this past January with 155 rooms and suites, 162 apartments, 276 Rosewood Residences, and eight dining destinations. Its accommodations, wellness facilities and distinctive event spaces add another high-end option for incentive and corporate groups. Juan Samsó, managing director, said the property illustrates how the city’s newer hospitality developments position themselves as social and experiential destinations as much as places to sleep.

Announced by IHG to open in 2026, the 283-key Kimpton Al Rowda Doha marks the Kimpton brand debut in Qatar, offering a contemporary, luxury lifestyle experience for groups. Hamad International Airport offers a global gateway, while modern roads and public transit make it easy to get around. Doha’s location at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa makes it a practical meeting point for multinational organizations.

But the ongoing Middle East conflict affects U.S.–Doha flight frequency and capacity on Qatar Airways, with a 9.2 percent year-on-year drop in U.S.-bound flights as of August; seat capacity on these routes fell by 10.6 percent. The U.S. Department of State, as of press time, classifies Qatar as a Level 3: Reconsider Travel advisory due to the threat of conflict in the region. Qatar Airways still offers wide connectivity to more than 90 countries and 170 destinations worldwide.

Hamad Ali Al-Khater, CEO, Qatar Airways Group, said, overall, “passenger numbers have recovered to around 90–95 percent of last year’s levels,” with Hamad currently handling more than 140,000 passengers a day as international carriers gradually return to Doha. British Airways recently resumed daily direct flights from London Heathrow.

Attendees from more than 100 countries are eligible for visa-free entry. Planners can work with Visit Qatar, the marketing arm for Qatar Tourism, for support with venue sourcing, site inspections, tailored incentives, visa facilitation, cultural programs and potential financial or in-kind support.

Visit Qatar recently renewed its partnership with UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry. Abdulaziz Ali Al Mawlawi, CEO, Visit Qatar, met in September with Chris Skeith OBE, CEO and managing director, UFI, as another sign of the country’s ambition to strengthen its position within the international exhibitions market.

UNIQUE VENUES

For an elegant setting surrounded by world-class art, Doha’s Museum of Islamic Art provides space for receptions of up to 20,000 attendees along the Corniche. Options include the atrium and courtyards for gatherings, as well as the auditorium or classroom for workshops and presentations.

The National Museum of Qatar offers immersive galleries and exhibitions and can host gala dinners, receptions and cultural programs for 2,000. Venues include Al Baraha Courtyard, Alfa Fountains area, Old Palace and lobby.

Other options include Katara Cultural Village, featuring local art and performances, with galleries and outdoor spaces overlooking the coast. Barahat Msheireb is a covered square in Msheireb Downtown with a retractable roof, offering space for dinners and receptions. A contemporary venue for fashion and design, M7 features event spaces in a five-story building.