Qatar Airways Group and its CEO, Badr Al Meer, topped the top three positions in the list of the 100 strongest leaders in tourism and travel in the region, issued by Forbes Middle East for 2025. The top positions also included Emirates Airlines, Emirates Group, and the Saudi Tourism Authority. Engineer Abdulaziz Ali Al Moulawi, CEO of Visit Qatar, was ranked 25th in the prestigious list of the top 100 leaders in the travel and tourism sector for 2025, in recognition of his active role in enhancing Qatar’s position as a leading global tourist destination. Al Moulawi assumed the CEO position at Visit Qatar in May 2024, which is the main marketing and promotional arm for Qatar’s tourism sector and the regulatory body for the tourism sector.

He played a pivotal role in achieving unprecedented growth in the number of international visitors to Qatar, exceeding 5 million visitors for the first time in 2024, achieving an annual growth rate of 25%. Forbes praised Al Moulawi’s strategic vision, which includes consolidating Qatar’s position as a primary destination for hosting major global sporting events, alongside focusing on digital innovation and expanding key global partnerships. His leadership continues to drive Visit Qatar’s success in destination marketing aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030 to ensure sustainable growth of the tourism sector in Qatar. Among the Qataris classified is Mr. Tarek Al Sayed, Managing Director and CEO of Al Rayyan Tourism Investment Company “Artek”. The classified leaders represent 10 countries from the Middle East and North Africa region. The UAE leads the ranking with 49 leaders residing there, followed by Saudi Arabia with 24, Egypt with 7, and Oman with 5.

Jordan, Morocco, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Tunisia also appeared, each with one participant through Kuwait Airways and the Tunisian National Tourism Office. The tourism and travel sector in the Middle East continues to establish its position among the most dynamic global destinations, driven by record investments and ambitious government visions. In this context, the list of the strongest tourism and travel leaders in the region for 2025 reflects this momentum, highlighting 101 leaders managing major projects in hospitality, tourist destinations, hotel chains, airports, airlines, travel services, and innovative tourism initiatives.