(Last updated: 7 Jul 2011)

Current business situation

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) provides advice for business travellers and tourists going to Qatar. This is regularly updated, and should be checked before planning travel.

With one of the world’s highest GDP per capita and growth forecasts in the world, Qatar is an attractive Middle Eastern commercial market. Qatar already has an increasing number of Australian companies developing business successfully, and Qataris are receptive to Australian products and services, which are perceived to be of high quality.

Opportunities lie mostly within the service industries. Information technology, education, health, construction and oil and gas all feature highly. As a smaller and lower-profile Gulf market, Qatar may be less competitive than the surrounding countries.

Austrade in Qatar can assist by helping you understand the market, complete market research, help you build business contacts and select potential partners, verify leads and help provide follow up business advice.

Opportunities lie in the construction sector, services (especially finance, IT, health and education), food and beverage, franchising, defence and security.

Australian companies find doing business in Qatar relatively less constrained than other markets of the Middle East. Business people are open, progressive and well educated. Relationships are important and care needs to be taken in establishing representation.

Qatar is a small Middle East market which may suit small companies or ones new to the region.

Country facts

(Source: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade - Country economic fact sheet)

Economic climate

There is a need for Qatar to diversify the economy along the lines of Dubai or Bahrain, in order to provide a more stable environment for economic growth in the future. In order to help achieve this, the government has committed itself to an investment program amounting to US$130 billion in projects across all major sectors over the next five years. Examples of these include the Qatar Financial Centre, Hamad Medical City, Education City and The Qatar Science and Technology Park.

To support these and many other projects, Qatar is also investing heavily in construction and infrastructure projects. New roads, water and sewerage systems are being built along with education facilities, hospitals, housing, business and tourist infrastructure. Major projects also include the Pearl, Lusail City, the New Doha International Airport, the Qatar-Bahrain Causeway and the proposed 65km bridge that would link Doha with Abu Dhabi at a cost of $13 billion.

For the latest key economic indicators and statistics, please see theDepartment of Foreign Affairs and Trade country economic fact sheet.

Trade relations and statistics

Please see the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade country economic fact sheet for the latest key trade statistics.