For the first time in the Gulf, Qatar is offering permanent residence visas to foreigners who buy freehold properties.

"We have already begun offering permanent residence visas to foreign buyers of properties in Qatar. The visa is issued for [an] unlimited period, not like some others who issue it for a limited period and the buyer has to continuously renew it," says Akbar Al Baker, chairman of the Qatar Tourism Authority.

He adds: "The permanent residence visa that we are offering is linked to the tenure of the property. So the investor remains a permanent resident as long as he owns that property," he said.

Dubai already offers freehold properties, while Oman has also announced plans to develop and offer the same.

Al Baker went on to explain that Qatar was planning to reform property and tourism regulations to spur growth.