Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) representatives gave a presentation yesterday at the three-day Seatrade Europe conference, which concludes today in Hamburg, Germany.
QTA was represented by Promotions and Organising Abroad Exhibitions head Soha Al Fadl Moussa, and Licensing and Classification Tourism Activities head Mohamed al-Ansari.
Presenting on the ‘Itineraries and Destinations’ panel, they discussed Qatar’s cultural attractions, ever-expanding developments and its competitive edge in the tourism market.
Stating that in Qatar, tourism is not just about entertainment Moussa explained that it is about offering visitors an insight and experience into the heritage that has made Qatar what it is today.
“Under the leadership of HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Qatar is currently investing $17bn into its tourism infrastructure including the construction of luxury hotels and resorts, two new centres for conferences and exhibitions and the New Doha International Airport,” she said.
The conference, which focuses on the cruise, ferry, river cruise and super yacht industries, offered an opportunity for QTA to educate an international audience on Qatar’s growing popularity for cruise ship passengers.
“With easier visa procedures for visitors by sea, Doha has quickly become is an ideal arrival destination on any cruising itinerary,” it was pointed out.
The sea has always been a significant part of Qatari culture, shaping the nation’s identity and providing a scenic environment for residents and visitors.
During the QTA presentation, al-Ansari explained that the government of Qatar has spared no efforts to upgrade and expand seaports and related infrastructure to make their services more efficient.
With the first phase of the New Doha Port expected to open in 2014, Doha will continue to expand upon its heritage as an easily accessible coastal city while remaining a sought-after destination for cruise ship passengers, he added.
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