After months of disruption throughout regional airspace, Qatar’s tourism business has introduced that the Gulf state is open for enterprise once more.
In an interview with Euronews, Go to Qatar CEO Abdulaziz Ali Al Mawlawi mentioned that though the nation confronted one of the vital tough durations in current historical past, it labored intently with embassies, airways and tourism companions to help stranded vacationers and restore confidence within the vacation spot, which can welcome 5 million vacationers in 2025.
In the course of the early levels of the regional battle, greater than 12,000 worldwide guests have been within the nation, together with 8,000 transit vacationers, all of whom required repatriation.
Roughly 5,000 cruise passengers and crew have been additionally affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on the Doha cruise port. Celestial Cruises’ Celestial Journey and TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 5 each safely departed the Arabian Gulf in mid-April.
“We now have been via tough occasions,” Almawawi advised Euronews. “To be trustworthy, this era has been probably the most tough interval we have now ever skilled. However as I continuously remind myself, we have now come via the COVID-19 interval, which has been a really tough interval, stronger and extra resilient than earlier than.”
Repatriation efforts, inns and visas
A 24-hour hotline has been arrange, together with WhatsApp updates and social media alerts, as authorities coordinate repatriation efforts via Doha’s Hamad Worldwide Airport.
In the meantime, 194 inns participated to accommodate 12,000 guests. The nation’s tourism regulator, Qatar Tourism Authority, coated resort lodging and meals for 15 days as a part of a broader initiative.
The federal government issued roughly 8,000 emergency visas to transit guests stranded within the nation, in addition to facilitating flexibility for visa extensions and overstays within the quick aftermath of a battle.
“We need to be certain that our visitors are all the time visitors in our dwelling, so within the meantime we have now introduced visa extensions and resort stays with free meals for all vacationers and visitors,” Almawawi mentioned.
Qatar is at the moment pursuing a tourism restoration marketing campaign centered on summer time festivals, seaside actions and household leisure, earlier than shifting its focus to worldwide vacationers later this 12 months.
Al Malawi mentioned the nation hopes the mixture of luxurious tourism, cultural experiences and main worldwide occasions will assist increase momentum for the busy winter season.
“Qatar is returning to normalcy and you may all the time relaxation assured that Qatar will all the time be protected,” he mentioned. “Qatar has all the time been recognized for its distinctive merchandise that mix tradition, custom and modernity.
“Not solely are you able to get pleasure from diving with whale sharks, you possibly can go on a safari and revel in superb eating, procuring experiences, resort experiences, beachfront and extra all in the identical day. We all the time say Qatar is dwelling to our visitors from everywhere in the world.”
After just lately saying the ‘Hala Summer time’ marketing campaign and pageant line-up, Go to Qatar is now trying to strengthen its place as one of many area’s main vacationer locations.
Regardless of the challenges, Qatar’s tourism sector is shifting forward with the implementation of recent digital options to reinforce campaigns, occasions and customer experiences, and construct momentum for the remainder of the 12 months and past.
Seasonal campaigns and occasions
Go to Qatar’s annual Hala Summer time marketing campaign, launched this month, will run till September. The lineup consists of inns and resorts providing packages and seasonal menus, in addition to a collection of concert events from worldwide performers like John Legend. The Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter is scheduled to take to the stage at Doha’s Qatar Nationwide Conference Middle on September 10.
Whereas initiatives equivalent to Youngsters Go Free purpose to encourage household journey throughout the nation, the place kids beneath the age of 12 of residents and residents can get pleasure from free lodging and meals, Hala Summer time additionally targets leisure vacationers in search of luxurious lodging, resorts, procuring and seaside choices.
As temperatures drop, Qatar’s calendar for the ultimate months of 2026 consists of performances by legendary composer Hans Zimmer and Colombian star Shakira, the adrenaline-pumping Qatar Airways Grand Prix and the Doha Jewelery and Watches Exhibition.
Qatar Airways expands its community
As Qatar’s tourism group seems to be forward to the tip of 2026 and past, Qatar Airways continues to restructure its world schedule for flights to and from Hamad Worldwide.
Qatar’s flag service has introduced that it’ll broaden its worldwide community to greater than 160 locations from June 16, as overseas airways return to Doha airspace.
The enlargement drive is predicted to proceed till July, with the airline planning to constitution its first flights to Caracas and Bogotá. This would be the first time a Gulf airline will enter the Venezuelan market and the primary direct flight between the 2 capitals of the Center East and South America.
In Europe, Qatar Airways can even resume flights to Finland’s capital Helsinki with 4 weekly flights from July fifteenth, rising to seven weekly flights from August 1st.
