Qatar ramped up culture spending to $1.3bn in 2012

Qatar spent more than QR5 billion (US$1.3 billion) bringing cultural items and equipment into the country in 2012, as it strives to develop into a regional hub for culture and heritage, new government figures show.

Of the expenditure, nearly QR1 billion was spent importing jewelry into the country, according to the first edition of the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning (MMUP)’s recent Cultural Statistics Report 2014 in Qatar.

Another QR1.1 billion as spent on importing “cultural goods,” but those purchases were not itemized in the report.

The 2012 budget – the most recent figures available – was more than three times the amount Qatar spent bringing in similar goods in 2009 (QR678 million).

Exhibitions of jewelry and watches are always popular in the Gulf, and particularly the region. The annual Jewelry and Watches Expo attracts some of the world’s leading names to Qatar to showcase their luxury accessories.

Meanwhile, a further QR3 billion was spent in 2012 on supporting audio-visual and interactive multi-media equipment. The move appears to signal Qatar’s willingness to present traditional cultural offerings in a way that would appeal to the younger, tech-savvy population.

The report also shows a growing interest in culture and heritage in Qatar, as the number of visitors to museums, cinemas and other cultural venues shows a steady increase in recent years.

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Report: Qatar ramped up culture spending to $1.3bn in 2012