Qatar has unveiled a grandiose project worth 20 billion riyals (approximately $5.5 billion) — the Simaisma entertainment district. Covering an area of 8 million square meters, it will be located 40 minutes north of Doha.
Simaisma will stretch approximately 7 km and will feature a theme park and an 18-hole golf course. According to Middle East Eye, the area will include 300 villas, yacht marinas, beach clubs, shops, and houses. The development will be larger than Walt Disney World in Florida.
Simaisma will also enhance Qatar’s coastal resorts. Currently, the country has 39,000 hotel rooms, but only 10% of these are located on the coast.
The development will be undertaken by Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company, a subsidiary of Qatar’s Sovereign Wealth Fund.
The project is part of the government’s strategy to diversify the economy and invest in tourism. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the UAE, some European countries, and the USA have already expressed interest in the project.
By 2030, tourism is expected to account for 12% of the country’s gross domestic product.
