Hayya Platform recognised with two leading awards for digital innovation

The Hayya platform has recently been recognised for its outstanding achievements in technology and innovation, securing two regional accolades. Hayya was named Winner in the Travel Technology – Business Services category at the Middle East Technology Excellence Awards 2025 and received the Best Use of Digital by Sector – Travel Industry title at the MENA Digital Awards 2025.

Commenting on the achievement, Saeed Al Kuwari, Director of Hayya, said: “We are proud that the Hayya platform has been recognised by two distinguished regional awards for its digital innovation. This achievement reflects Hayya’s evolution into a world-class platform that continues to set new standards for travel and tourism services. Our focus on integrating advanced technologies ensures visitors enjoy seamless, secure and efficient experiences, while reinforcing Qatar’s position as a leading global destination. With these recent awards, we have not only delivered the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ successfully but also fulfilled our vision of establishing Hayya as a lasting legacy that supports Qatar’s tourism sector. We remain committed to its ongoing evolution, ensuring the platform continues to drive innovation and excellence in line with Qatar’s tourism vision.”

Originally designed to manage fan entry during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, Hayya has since transformed into a comprehensive e-visa ecosystem, offering five distinct visa categories: the Tourist Visa (A1), GCC Resident Visa (A2), Visa with ETA (A3), Companion of GCC Citizen Visa (A4), and Visa-Free for US Citizens (F1).

Hayya’s continuous innovation has transformed visitor experiences through advanced B2C technologies, including Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for automated document extraction, the upcoming Arabic OCR implementation to improve accessibility for Arab nationals and NFC-based passport scanning for instant passport data entry. On the B2B front, Hayya provides secure API integration enabling real-time ticket validation and identity-linked QR codes for seamless access across stadiums, hospitality venues, and transport services.

The platform has successfully supported some of Qatar’s largest international events, including the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, AFC Asian Cup 2023, Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix, and Web Summit Qatar 2024.

Operated by Qatar Tourism, Hayya serves as Qatar’s official e-visa digital platform. As Qatar’s central digital gateway, Hayya streamlines access to the country through integrated visa processing and event access, all within a single, user-friendly interface.

The platform is designed to facilitate e-visa services while integrating events, domestic tourism, transport, lifestyle experiences, and everyday services into one unified solution for living, traveling, and connecting.

Beyond enabling smooth entry via airports and land borders, it encourages visitors to explore Qatar’s cultural landmarks, natural attractions, and vibrant year-round events. The platform also supports major events by delivering tailored digital solutions for organisers, delegates, and attendees.