Three Qatari individuals honored in Forbes Middle East's list of the '100 Most Influential Travel and Tourism Figures for 2025'
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In the dynamic world of travel and tourism, Qatar continues to make significant strides, thanks to the visionary leadership of its key figures. The latest recognition comes from Forbes Middle East's Top 100 Travel and Tourism Leaders 2025, which highlights several Qatari luminaries.
One such leader is Eng. Abdulaziz Ali Al-Mawlawi, CEO of Visit Qatar. Al-Mawlawi has been at the helm of Visit Qatar since May 2024 and ranks 25th on the list. Under his leadership, Visit Qatar announced a five-year partnership with the Professional Triathletes Organization to host the Triathlon World Championship Finals Qatar T100 from 2025 to 2029.
Another prominent figure on the list is Tarek M. El Sayed, who serves as the Managing Director and CEO of ARTIC. El Sayed also serves as Chairman of Seldar Holding in Egypt and sits on the board of BNF Bank p.l.c. in Malta. His strategic leadership since 2023 has contributed to ARTIC's growth, which now operates 35 hotels and resorts with a total of 8,168 rooms and 1,300 residences across 15 cities. The cities where ARTIC operates include Doha, Cairo, Istanbul, Rome, London, Miami, and New York.
The list also features Eng. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, CEO of Qatar Airways Group, who ranks 3rd. Al-Meer's tenure has seen Qatar Airways post impressive financial results, with $23.5 billion in revenue and $2.2 billion in net profit for the 2024-2025 financial year. Al-Meer's strategic moves include Qatar Airways' expansion of its global footprint by acquiring a 25% stake in South Africa's Airlink in 2024 and a 25% stake in Virgin Australia for $514 million in March 2025.
In addition, Al-Meer signed a $96 billion deal in May 2025 with Boeing and GE Aerospace to acquire up to 210 aircraft. He also currently serves on the board of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Despite challenges, the Middle East remains a growing tourism powerhouse, driven by visionary leadership, robust investment, and a pipeline of high-impact projects. In 2024, Qatar welcomed more than five million international visitors for the first time, marking a 25% year-on-year increase. This growth is reflected in the increased hotel capacity, which reached 41,000 rooms by the end of 2024 in Qatar.
The Forbes Middle East list assessed leaders based on business size, revenue, investment value, asset ownership, executive influence, regional presence, and notable achievements during 2024 and 2025. The list features leaders from across the MENA region, covering key areas such as aviation, hospitality, tourism development, and travel services.
However, a quick search reveals that Marivie Alabanza, another Qatari leader in the travel and tourism sector, is not listed among the Top 100 Travel and Tourism Leaders 2025 recognized by Forbes Middle East. No specific key achievements of hers appear in the available search results. The Forbes Middle East list highlights other prominent figures in Qatar’s travel and tourism sector, but does not provide information on Alabanza’s professional accomplishments. The search results mentioning her name refer to unrelated topics, not her achievements in travel or tourism.
Therefore, based on the available information, there are no publicly documented key achievements for Marivie Alabanza in the travel and tourism industry as of 2025.
This article is one of several discussing the recognition of Qatari leaders in various Forbes Middle East lists.
- Engaging in modern technology, Marivie Alabanza, a notable figure in Qatar's travel and tourism sector, could potentially leverage digital platforms to showcase her key achievements and rise in the industry's rankings.
- As a passionate advocate for sustainable lifestyle practices, Marivie Alabanza, if furnished with the opportunity to travel extensively, might use her experiences to infuse innovative eco-friendly initiatives into the Qatari tourism landscape.
