By Raynald C Rivera
DOHA: Qatar is expected to receive over 50,000 cruise tourists in the 2016/2017 cruising season.
“We are having discussions with executive directors of marine tourism companies in preparation for the season during which we expect more than 50,000 tourists and over 130,000 in the coming year,” Hassan Al Ibrahim, Chief Tourism Development Officer, Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), said yesterday.
Al Ibrahim told the opening of the Seatrade Middle East Cruise Forum that Qatar had received hundreds of tourists through Cruise Arabia Alliance and five ships are expected arrive in the country in the current season which began in October and ends in April next year.
He said QTA, in partnership with various sectors, is exerting efforts to develop cruise tourism as an important sector and provide visitors a different experience. “We are working with partners in Qatar Ports Management Company (Mwani) to benefit from the new port for us to be able to host big ships visiting Qatar.
“In 2016, we are going to work on renovating Doha Port to receive big ships carrying more visitors. We are also receiving support from the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, the Ministry of Interior and the private sector to provide good experience to visitors from the time they arrive until they leave the country,” he stressed.
Capt Abdallah Al Khanji, CEO, Mwani, said they are cooperating with QTA as they prepare to welcome the first cruise ships of 2016 and the focus is on small and medium cruise ships. We would like to transform Doha Port into one that concentrates on receiving tourists. We would like to have an integrated kind of port that would guarantee high-level services and this will enable Qatar to have a distinctive position in the GCC as one of the most important cruise destinations.”
The summit and conference which continues today brings together 12 global cruise line executives and regional stake-holders to discuss topics, including diversification of regional shore excursions and challenges facing regional tour operators.
Al Ibrahim said the summit comes at a very important time in the global tourism industry which has seen growth in various sectors, especially in newer destination markets.
He said the GCC has become one of the three main winter cruise destinations in the world. Estimates show that Qatar is set to be a promising destination for cruise tourism which offers enormous opportunities, he added.
The Peninsula
