Qatar Tourism has opened public voting for its “Tourism Influencer of the Year” award, a new addition to the second edition of the Qatar Tourism Awards. 

The awards, developed in partnership with UN Tourism, aim to recognize businesses that deliver outstanding tourism experiences in Qatar.

The public can vote for their favorite content creator in the Digital Footprint category for the first time. 

Ten nominees, selected by the Qatar Tourism Awards Committee, are competing for the title:

1. Khalifa Al Haroon (iloveqatar)
2. Abdulaziz Ibrahim Al Ajail (zozoalajail)
3. Abdulla Alghafri (QQQ)
4. Abdulhadi Saleh Salem Alwakean Al-Marri (abdulhadi_7)
5. Fatimah Dhai (newindoha)
6. Abdullah Darabseh (abdallahdrb)
7. Saoud Al Kuwari (shljadwal)
8. Osama Al-Nassan (osamanasan)
9. Tourism in Qatar Platform (qt2030)
10. Noor Ahmad Al Mazroei (noor_almazroei)

The awards span seven categories: Service Excellence, Gastronomic Experiences, Iconic Attractions and Activities, World Class Events, Digital Footprint, Smart and Sustainable Tourism, and Community Leadership.

“This initiative encourages all stakeholders who play a direct or indirect role in tourism experiences to continue developing and emulating unique, sustainable, accessible, and high-quality service initiatives,” Qatar Tourism said in a news release.

Voting is open until September 9, 2024, on the Qatar Tourism website.

Aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030, Qatar Tourism seeks to develop the tourism industry and bolster the country’s economy. 

The regulatory body promotes and expands tourism by cultivating a rich culture and developing attractions and luxury experiences.

According to a report by influencer marketing company YAAP from last year, the influencer marketing industry in the Middle East was projected to reach $1.3 billion by the end of 2023 as brands shift their marketing budgets from TV, print, and outdoor to influencer marketing.

Influencers’ Growing Presence in Asian Tourism Strategies

Several Asian countries have been investing heavily in promoting their tourism offers by leveraging the popularity and reach of social media personas.

Tourism Malaysia ran a four-day program in July for nine media influencers to explore Melaka’s diverse attractions. The program showcased the state’s historical, ecological, and cultural offerings.

Sri Lanka also expanded its social media influencer campaign to boost tourism that month, unveiling plans to bring in 40 new influencers to promote various aspects of its tourism offerings.

This initiative came as some countries like the U.S. issued travel alerts for Sri Lanka due to protests over the economic and political situation and terrorist attacks.

In August, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) launched TAT Connex, an influencer marketing platform to boost the country’s tourism industry and connect local and international influencers with various tourism-related businesses.

Trip.com Group followed by launching its Asia Live Streaming Center in Bangkok to showcase Thailand’s tourism offerings through daily live streams. It partnered with the country’s hotels, local attractions, and businesses to feature travel products and deals during these broadcasts.