Qatar welcomed 588,000 visitors in the first quarter (Q1) of 2019, a 10 percent increase over the first quarter of 2018, according to Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) Secretary-General Akbar al Baker.
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Speaking at the sixth Annual Tourism Industry Ghabga on Tuesday, Baker said, “We are making strong progress and our first quarter results are encouraging. We welcomed 588,000 visitors representing a 10 percent annual increase in Q1 of 2019.”
Talking about more success stories, Baker highlighted the results of the 2018-19 cruise season, which concluded on May 10.
“We welcomed 44 ships carrying more than 140,000 people, which represents more than 100 percent increase over the last season. We expect this growth to continue in the coming years. We want Doha Port to be one of the most important cruising ports.”
He said the ‘Discover Qatar’ stop-over programme has brought in 100,000 visitors while Qatar Airways will continue to promote the product and has close to about 200,000 visitors on the airline-funded STPC programme.
“Discover Qatar will also be launching new exciting products over the coming months including a fully managed kite surfing facility; luxury desert retreats and professionally organised tours to view the amazing population of whale sharks off the Qatar coast.”
He said Qatar Airways is going to invest millions of riyals in developing these facilities and then eventually handing them over to the private sector.
“It is heartening to see that Qatar is becoming a genuine seven-night destination for visitors, especially from Europe. Tour operators are much more familiar with the tourism offerings and the coming winter seems very promising. From aviation to hospitality, retail to culture, Qatar has something for everyone with new products in the pipeline.”
Baker said tour guides are the integral part of the visitors’ overall experience.
“We continue to train and issue licences to tour guides. A total of 137 tour guides have been issued licences. It is our goal to ensure that everyone involved in this profession will have the proper licensing and required training to welcome our guests,” he added.
With the ‘Summer in Qatar’ programme starting soon, there are a wide range of events and initiatives that will engage with local, regional and international guests and will help to strengthen Qatar’s reputation as an attractive destination for leisure, entertainment and retail.
He said the partnership between the public and private sectors is a key element for ‘Summer in Qatar’ programme.
Baker said, since the last year’s Ghabga, there have been significant shifts in the tourism sector.
“Qatar Tourism Authority has now become the Qatar National Tourism Council, putting tourism high on the national agenda. It will facilitate a closer cooperation between the public and private sectors partners to build a thriving and sustainable tourism industry,” he said.
He said, “Our hospitality industry continues to expand and achieve accolades, with hospitality and travel data providers rating Qatar as best in the guest experience category in the Middle East.”
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