Prime Highlights-
- Qatar has opened the Simaisma Resort and Beach Project to foreign property ownership, creating new investment opportunities.
- The project is expected to support tourism growth and attract foreign investment.
Key Facts-
- The decision was approved by Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
- Simaisma spans over 8 million square metres and will include resorts, villas, a marina, a golf course, and entertainment facilities.
Background-
Qatar has added the Simaisma Resort and Beach Project to its list of areas where non-Qatari individuals and entities can own property, under Cabinet Decision No. 21 of 2026.
Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani approved the decision, which came into force after publication in the Official Gazette. All relevant authorities have been directed to implement its provisions immediately.
The move amends Cabinet Decision No. 28 of 2020, which governs non-Qatari ownership and usufruct rights across designated real estate zones in the country. Simaisma is the latest addition to a list that already includes West Bay Lagoon, Al Dafna, Lusail, Al Kharaej, Jabal Thaileb, Al Khor Resort, and several administrative areas in Onaiza and Al Dafna.
The decision also shifts real estate registration responsibilities from the former Ministry of Municipality and Environment to the Ministry of Justice. Going forward, the Real Estate Registration Department under the Ministry of Justice will handle all ownership and usufruct registration procedures for foreign buyers.
The Simaisma development is emerging as one of Qatar’s largest tourism and leisure destinations. Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company is developing the site under the Ministry of Municipality. The coastal project stretches across more than eight million square metres and runs along a seven-kilometre waterfront on Qatar’s eastern coastline.
The master plan includes luxury resorts across four zones, a theme park, an 18-hole championship golf course, residential villas, a yacht club and marina, along with retail, dining, and entertainment facilities. Developers have carved out more than 16 plots for private-sector participation.
Qatar sees the project as a key driver for foreign direct investment and a way to grow its non-hydrocarbon economy through tourism and urban development.
