SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT MONDAY 1 JULY 2019

Travel & TourismPAGE | 11

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Hamad InternationalAirport celebrates

remarkable 5 years

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ACTING MANAGING EDITORMohammed Salim Mohamed

SUPPLEMENT COORDINATORAhmed Eltigani Idris

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFDr. Khalid Mubarak Al-Shafi

DESIGNAbraham Augusthy

SiQ packed with plenty of optionsFrom live concerts, comedy and family shows to incredible shopping, hospitality and travel promotions, from summer camps and game parks to stunning museum displays and workshops, the summer festival, which runs until August 16, has something for everyone.

The Summer in Qatar kiosk at Hamad International Airport Arrival Lounge. PICS: QASSIM RAHMATULLAH / THE PENINSULA

RAYNALD C RIVERA

THE PENINSULA

Hailed by The New York Times as one of the “52 Places to Go in 2019,” Doha has plenty to offer visitors and residents

even in the summer with the exciting Summer in Qatar (SiQ) programme curated by Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC).

From live concerts, comedy and family shows to incredible shopping, hospitality and travel promotions, from summer camps and game parks to stunning museum displays and workshops, the summer festival, which runs until August 16, has something for everyone.

What is more, the recently launched Doha Metro Red Line con-nects some of the must-visit places and venues for fast, cheap and easy access to visitors, so basking in the sun at Souq Al Wakrah’s Sea and Sand Park or enjoying the games in Enter-tainment City at Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre or immersing oneself in the artworks at Katara or even just watching the stunning skyline on the Corniche has never been so convenient.

One of the major attractions at SiQ

is entertainment. A wide array of live concerts, family shows, movie awards and comedy shows features prominent artistes from different parts of the world, offering a kaleidoscope of entertainment to residents and visitors.

Famous comedian Trevor Noah is returning to Doha on July 12 to tickle the funny bone of fans of standup comedy in the latest offering from Doha Comedy Festival. The Daily Show host, whose videos have over a billion views online, was featured in the first winter edition of Doha Comedy Fes-tival during Shop Qatar two years ago.

The summer concert season began on June 21with a Bollywood Music Fes-tival, the first of its kind in Doha. It cel-ebrated World Music Day at Lusail Indoor Arena with a large gathering of musicians led by Sunidhi Chauhan, Guru Randhawa, Neeraj Shridhar, Bhoomi Trivedi, and Ragini Tandan.

Fans of Electronic Dance Music (EDM) lovers are sure to have a blast as American electronic music producer and DJ Marshmello takes the Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC) stage on July 25, playing his chart-topping songs. With millions of views on YouTube, the intriguing masked performer behind the smash hits “Silence,” “Friends,” “Happier” and “Wolves” is known for his collabora-

tions with famous singers, and has won several awards.

In store for Arabic music fans are two

shows by Iraqi singer-songwriter Kadim Al Saher, considered one of the most successful Arab singers in history. He will enthrall the audience, singing some of his most popular

songs on August 16 and 17 at QNCC’s Al

Mayassa Theatre.All three shows are being produced

by The Social Studio, a local organ-izing company behind the break-through success of EDM band The Chainsmokers who rocked the 5,000 person crowd at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC) during the Shop Qatar festival last year. This summer, The Social Studio has pre-pared a diverse lineup of live enter-tainment on a grand scale.

“Summer in Qatar 2019 cultivates Qatar’s accomplishments in all aspects, especially in the live entertainment sector, with Qatar hosting a collection of international and regional music and comedy mega stars. This rein-forces Qatar’s position in the region and the world as an authentic and con-temporary destination through offering one of the largest concerts and shows’ line-up in the region. This achievement is the result of the sound tourism vision for the country and the

leading active role of the National Tourism Council, whom we will partner with to curate a vibrant, rich and diverse cultural experience for vis-itors, locals and residents,” said Hamzeh Zahr, Managing Director of The Social Studio.

Tickets for Trevor Noah, Marsh-mello and Kadim Al Saher’s shows are now on sale through https://tickets.vir-ginmegastore.me/qa.

For the first time in Doha, the highly popular Blue Man Group will be staging a series of shows from August 14 to 17 at QNCC as part of their world tour. This award-winning the-atrical phenomenon will see the three bald and blue performers surprise the audience with their out-of-the-box performance combining music and comedy with stories, custom instru-ments and sensory stimulating graphics in this series presented by Alchemy Project and SiQ.

In another first in Doha, the South

Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) will be held on August 15 and 16 at Lusail Indoor Arena. The eighth edition of the annual event will see some of the most prominent celebrities in the South Indian film industry come to Doha to attend the ceremony which rewards artistic and technical achieve-ments in film.

Naveed Abdulla, CEO of ONE FM Qatar, said they have been looking forward to bringing SIIMA to Qatar and this is the perfect time to host it here with the Qatar India Year of Culture.

“We wanted to give delight to all Indians living in Qatar with this award function where we have over 200 people from the movie fraternity coming to Qatar and out of them around 70 to 80 are top A-list celeb-rities. This would also help non-Indians in Qatar to understand the Indian culture and connect both cul-tures during this Year of Culture,” said Abdulla. �P2

One of the major attractions at SiQ is

entertainment. A wide array of live concerts, family shows, movie awards and comedy

shows features prominent artistes from different

parts of the world, offering a kaleidoscope of entertainment to residents

and visitors.

Katara Hospitality opens its hotels’ door with ‘your keyto luxury’ summer package

2

FROM PAGE 1Thousands of people are

expected to attend the functions, some of whom are flying to Doha including between 450 to 500 crew as well as a huge number of international media fans, he said, adding they have been working with QNTC and other partners in India to promote the event through various platforms.

“We are expecting anything between 8,000 to 10,000 people for the show because each of these celebrities do have their own major fan base. Qatar has a huge South Indian population also who understands the lan-guage and a lot of South Indian movies are being screened in theaters in Qatar,” he said.

Tickets for the SIIMA is expected to start selling by first week of July.

Families can enjoy live chil-dren’s shows, theatrical plays and movie screenings at malls during the season as an integral part of SiQ programme. They will have a wonderful time as they see everyone’s favourite blue creatures, the ‘Smurfs’ live on stage for a series of shows from July 18 to 20, as well as Hello Kitty’s Live Fashion & Friends shows from July 25 to 27, both at Al Mayassa Theatre.

Tickets for Blue Man, Smurfs and Hello Kitty live shows are now available at: www.TixBox.qa.

Entertainment City, another major feature of SiQ, continues to provide joy to visitors at DECC as a one stop shop with wide ranging games and shows for all ages as well as a variety of shopping and food options. The 6,000sqm VR and Gaming zone is this year’s centerpiece

attracting large number of crowds to some of the world’s most advanced VR simulators, gaming stations and themed gaming areas.

Game parks offering varied experiences are spread across malls and other venues. Doha Festival City alone is home to some of unique and exciting game concepts including Vir-tuocity for the most discerning gamers, the world’s first Angry Birds World entertainment park, and Snow Dunes where visitors will have a chance to experience real snow in summer when it opens its doors on July 15.

Parents who want their young children to boost their skills, knowledge and self-con-fidence can bring them to Kid-Zania at Aspire Park and Kidz-Mondo at Mall of Qatar. These world class edutainment con-cepts provide realistic role play in which children can experience real world professions such as doctor, dentist, engineer and pilot.

Megapolis Entertainment Center at The Pearl Qatar (TPQ) offers all-in-one fun under one roof with a plethora of games and activities such as billiards, bowling, darts, escape room, karaoke, Virtual Reality and arcade games in addition to a number of dining options. Also located at TPQ is Minipolis with a variety of fun games and activ-ities for young children.

Adrenaline junkies can head to Tawar Mall to try out Bounce Doha’s hundreds of exciting trampolines and adventure fea-tures. And there are more indoor fun options such as Go Fun, Power and Power Loads at Gulf Mall and Circusland at Landmark Mall.

Recently, Qatar Museums announced that Culture Pass holders can avail of discounts of up to 70 percent at SiQ enter-tainment and game providers which include discounts in game parks, concerts, family shows. In addition QM is offering a series of organised tours that include

archaeology tours, public art tours, curator-led tours, art talks, and more than 40 educational workshops. Game parks

“This year we have partnered with QNTC for the Summer in Qatar in order to give access to the public to the various benefits that QNTC and their partners are

offering with regard to cultural events and entertainment using the QM Culture Pass as a channel,” said Fahad Al Obaidly, Memberships Coordinator.

Currently, there are around 27,000 Culture Pass members from all categories of the public who are highly engaged with QM’s activities, said Al Obaidly.

“Our members are very much engaged with our tours. They attend our exhibitions, par-ticipate in workshops and special events, and take advantage of special offers and discounts in cafes. But this time we’ve expanded the experience for Summer in Qatar putting all the benefits offered by various entities under one umbrella to promote those events and bring people closer to art and her-itage,” he said.

Malls are even more vibrant this summer with more attrac-tions and activities such as roaming characters, shows, workshops, competitions, and back to school events.

There are also many summer camps and community engagement activities to choose from which are organised by schools, government institutions and private companies such as Fusion Camp, Education City Summer Membership program, Doha Workers Cricket Cup, Police Sports Federation Summer Camp, Paris Saint-Germain Academy Summer Camp, Aspire Summer Camp, Big Baller Brand basketball Camp, and Qatar Petroleum Summer Program.

Due to public demand after the big success of Aspire’s inau-gural summer and winter camps last year, the summer camp is back for its second edition prom-ising much more to offer to the young participants.

Nasser Abdulla Al-Hajri, Director of Communication and PR at Aspire Zone Foundation, said: “Following the huge success of Aspire’s first summer and winter camps last year, and the

positive feedback we received from parents requesting to bring back such an active beneficial experience their kids had at Aspire, we are putting the final touches on our second edition of the 2019 summer camp for kids, which is scheduled to take place from July 7 to 31. Boys and girls aged 6 to 13 will enjoy four days a week of fun learning and sports activities from 8am to 1.30pm.”

Al-Hajri added: “The camp’s programme includes a variety of activities, including athletics, gymnastics, aerobics, long jump, tennis, badminton, swimming lessons and training sessions in basketball, handball, taekwondo, football and volleyball. Children will also have the chance to take part in educational field trips to destinations across Doha, including the Al Thuraya Plane-tarium at the Cultural Village Foundation – Katara, the National Museum of Qatar and Kidzania.”

Aspire summer camp is organised in partnership with the Cultural Village Foundation –Katara, Kidzania, National Museum of Qatar, the Cage Sport, Planet Medical Center and the STEM Xplorers.

Destination management companies have also lined up summer activities such as whale shark diving, dhow cruises, desert safaris, cultural and city tours, and eco-adventure tours.

Shopping has never been as rewarding as it is this summer with up to 70 percent discounts at various retail outlets and raffle draws at participating malls with up to QR2 million in prizes and a grand prize of a MacLaren.

Tourists who choose Doha as their summer destination can also enjoy up to 25 percent dis-count on flights to Doha via Qatar Airways and in leading hotels and beach resorts. Those not included in the list of over 80 nations covered by Qatar’s Visa Free arrival program can also enjoy hassle-free visa this summer.

SiQ packed with plenty of optionsEntertainment City, another major feature of SiQ, continues to provide joy to visitors at DECC as a one stop shop with wide ranging games and shows for all ages as well as a variety of shopping and food options.

PICS: BAHER AMIN, ABDUL BASIT & SALIM MATRAMKOT / THE PENINSULA

3

Qatar received over 588,000 vis-itors during the first quarter of this year, an increase of 10 percent compared to the Q1 last

year, the Secretary-General of Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) and Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, said.

“We are making strong progress and the results of first quarter (Q1) of 2019 are encouraging. We welcomed 588,000 visitors representing 10 percent increase over Q1 of 2018 and witnessed excel-lence occupancy rates in the recent months,” said Al Baker while addressing the Annual Tourism Ghabga, organised by QNTC at Doha Sheraton Hotel for the representatives of tourism sector, last month.

Visitors from European countries have emerged as the largest group of people coming to Qatar in the first quarter of this year. The visitors from Europe occupied 37 percent share in total tourist arrivals, making them the biggest group of tourists coming to Qatar during the quarter.

According to the Planning and Sta-tistics Authority data, 588,072 visitors came to Qatar during the first quarter of 2019, out of which 216,818 visitors came from Europe. Out of the total visitors, around 495,000 visitors came via air while around 93,000 came via sea. Visitors from Asian countries as they had a share of 35 percent in the total number of visitor arrivals. During the first quarter, 206,203 visitors came to Qatar from Asian countries.

Visitor arrivals measure non-residents travelling to Qatar on a short-term basis for all purposes. It includes arrivals at borders under 15 different visit visa classes, including all business and leisure visa types while excluding work visas.

As per the Planning and Statistics Authority, a visitor is a traveller taking a trip to a main destination outside his usual environment, for less than a year, for any main purpose (business, leisure or other personal purpose) other than to be employed by a resident entity in the

country or place visited. A visitor is clas-sified as a tourist, if his trip includes an overnight stay.

“Qatar Airways have increased its con-nectivity to several European cities in the past two years. Also, number of cruise tourists coming to Qatar has increased substantially in the past few years,” a senior official of a tour and travel agency said.

The country witnessed a very suc-cessful cruise season the number of cruise tourists as Qatar welcomed a record number of cruise tourists in the 2018-19 season. Doha Port received 144,707 pas-sengers and crew on 44 ships during the season according to Mwani Qatar.

Proactive steps by concerned author-ities have also played crucial role in increasing the number of tourists. In 2017, Qatar eased its visa policies and allowed citizens of 80 countries visa-free entry into the country. Visitors from other regions also grew during the quarter. Share of vis-itors from GCC countries was 11 percent as 62,909 visitors came from these countries.

Al Baker said that Qatar’s stop-over program has brought 100,000 visitors while Qatar Airways will continue to promote the product and has brought close to 200,000 visitors to Qatar.

“Discover Qatar will also launch exiting new products over the coming months including a fully managed kinds of facility, luxury desert resort, professionally organized tours to view the amazing population at the cost of Qatar,” said Al Baker. He said that Qatar Airways is going to invest mil-lions of Qatari 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 winter destination for visitors specially from Europe,” he said, adding, “As the result of products enhancement, Qatar Airways providing hugely competitive rates to the trade, tour operators.”

Qatar attracts 588,000 visitors, 10% rise in first quarter of 2019

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4

The increase in guest numbers was witnessed by all categories of hotels. Five-star hotels saw their occupancy rate going up to 68 percent in April this year compared to 61 percent in same month last year.

Qatar’s tourism sector wit-nessed visitors boom in the last season as Doha Port welcomed record number of passengers in 2018-19 season. Doha

Port received 144,707 pas-sengers and crew on 44 ships during the season according to Mwani Qatar.

The record breaking number of tourist arrival has confirmed Doha Port’s important role in boosting marine tourism revenues and transforming Qatar into a regional cruise hub.

Cruise season runs from September to April in Qatar. A total of 65,675 vis-itors arrived on Qatar’s shores during 2017/18 season, which was a 39 percent increase compared to the previous season. The port’s passenger terminal infrastructure is being developed to bring it in line with international pas-senger terminals in anticipation of further volume growth leading to FIFA world cup 2022.

Year-on- year comparison reveals that 2018 was an immensely successful year for Doha Port. According to Mwani Qatar data, Doha Port welcomed 94,473 passengers in 2018 compared to 52,454 passengers in 2017, showing a rise of over 80 percent.oha Port welcomed, on January 24, cruise ship MSC Splendida on its third visit during the ongoing season, carrying a total of 3,456 pas-sengers and 1,305 crew members. Around 3,000 tourists arrived at Doha Port on January 14 aboard MSC Lirica. MSC Splendida anchored on January 3 at Doha Port on its 2nd call with 3,900 passengers and 1,300 crew member aboard.

The rise in number tourists was a result of main line cruise vessels expressing their interest in Doha and deploying bigger cruise vessels to Doha.

During 2018, the peak season was December and January, which saw more than 50 percent of the volume handled. The year also saw debut of Carnival and Royal Caribbean cruises at Doha Port, a welcome addition to the region’s port fastest growing cruise port. Due to higher demand during the season, Doha port had at times had to handle two mega ships simultaneously.

This reinforces the port’s profes-sional capability by the port authority, the shipping lines, tour operators and government authorities like immigration and customs to handle higher volumes in the months to come.

Cruise season 2018-2019 witnessed arrival of several mega cruise ships. On February 13, German cruise ship AID-APrima docked at Doha Port on its third voyage in the ongoing cruise season with a total of 3,618 passengers and 957 crew members aboard. Italian cruise ship Costa Mediterranea, on February 6, marked its maiden voyage to Qatar, with more than 3,000 passengers and crew members.

Meanwhile, in April, a Qatari del-egation comprising five government and private sector parties led by the Ministry of Transport and Communi-cation (MOTC), Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC), and Qatar Ports, par-ticipated in the Seatrade Cruise Global Expo and Conference, which con-cluded in Miami in the US.

Capt. Abdulla Al Khanji, CEO of Mwani Qatar, said, “We are very pleased with the significant successes that have been achieved in securing Qatar’s place on the global cruise map in the region and we look forward to further success in the coming seasons with our

commitment to harnessing all logistical and technical capabilities and ensuring better service to our visitors in collab-oration with all stakeholders.”

QNTC Chief Marketing Officer, Rashed AlQurese, said: “We are working with our partners at the Ministry of

Transport and Communication, Mwani, Qatar Airways, and the various desti-nation management companies to move to the next level in the devel-opment of the cruise industry, which will see Qatar emerging as a turnaround port for cruise ships during the 2019/2020 winter season. We have achieved a great deal in this respect, securing more reservations while sup-porting the development of the port, and coordinating logistical processes.”

Mohammed Al Mutawa, Maritime Transport Services Quality Director at MOTC, commented, “Seatrade Cruise Global is a great platform for sector leaders and key universal cruise oper-ators to know Qatar’s potential and its resources, which qualify it to be featured in their cruise itineraries.

Doha Port plays a key role in boosting Qatar’s ranking as an attractive tourist destination in the region through receiving cruise ships from around the world and providing a full range of resources. This helps in the growth of such a key sector, thus achieving the economic diversity that is one of Qatar National Vision 2030’s top goals.”

The cruise industry is one of six tourism segments which the National Tourism Sector Strategy focuses on. It is also one of the fastest growing tourism segments, with Qatar seeing a 39% increase in the number of cruise pas-sengers in 2017/2018. Growth is expected to double this season.

Ahead of the 2018/2019 season, QNTC signed a number of cooperation agree-ments, including with Germany’s Aida Cruises and Italy’s Costa Cruises. Under these agreements, megaships AIDAPrima and Costa Mediterranea began docking at Doha Port during this season.

Statistics from the first three months of the 2018/2019 cruise season showed increase in the number of cruise ship calls to Doha Port as well as the number of visitors from October through December 2018. The number of calls grew by 129% compared to the same period the year before, with 43,649 cruise passengers visiting Doha in the three months compared to 18,513 pas-sengers in 2017 — a growth of 136%.

Qatar receives record number of cruise tourists

Hotels benefit from rising tourismQ

atar’s Hospitality sector is ben-

efiting from surge in tourists

coming to the country. Hotels

and resorts are doing brisk

business as their occupancy

ratio has risen significantly this year com-

pared to last year, helped by sharp increase

in tourist inflow to the country.

Occupancy ratio is a crucial gauge of

hospitality industry as high occupancy rate

shows high turn out of guests for hotels

and resorts. The first quarter has been

proved busy for the sector as occupancy

has increased during January, February and

March.

The occupancy rate of hotels in Qatar

jumped from 62 percent in March 2018 to

68 percent in March this year, according to

the Planning and Statistics Authority data.

A similar trend was witnessed a month

before, as occupancy rate jumped from 60

percent in February 2018 to 67 percent in

February this year. Likewise, hotels wit-

nessed occupancy rate increasing from 58

percent in January 2018 to 64 percent in

January this year.

The increase in guest numbers was wit-

nessed by all categories of hotels, shows

the data. Five-star hotels saw their occu-

pancy rate going up to 68 percent in April

this year compared to 61 percent in same

month last year. Occupancy rate of four-

star hotels jumped from 62 percent in April

2018 to 70 percent in April this year while

occupancy rate of three-star hotels jumped

to 80 percent in April 2019 from 68 percent

in April 2018. Occupancy rate of two and

one star hotels increased from 62 percent

in April last year to 78 percent in April this

year.

Qatar has received more number of

tourists this year compared to last year,

driven by series of coordinated measures

taken by concerned authorities to boost

tourism in the country. According to QNTC,

Qatar received 588,000 visitors during the

first quarter of this year, reflecting an

increase of 10 percent compared to the Q1

last year. In February 2019 some 376,106

people visited Qatar, which is about 8.2

percent more than the same month last

year. When compared on monthly basis,

the number of visitors saw a sharp jump of

over 90 percent compared to 196,594 vis-

itors in January 2019.

Europe and Asia accounted for a sig-

nificant majority (71 percent) of the total

number of visitors in February, with Europe

(36 percent) followed by Asia (including

Oceania) accounting for 35 percent. GCC

countries accounted for 12 percent of the

total number of visitors in February 2019.

Despite the unjust blockade��which has

been onging for more than two years��the

average revenues of hotels across all cate-

gories witnessed solid growth (year-on-

year) in April 2019��with the budget hotels

recording the highest 30 percent.

The average hotel revenue��measured

by per available room��increased to QR264

in April 2019 (year-to-date��YTD)��up by 5.6

percent��or QR14��compared to QR250 a year

ago (April 2018)��official data show.

Bolstered by a significant increase in

occupancy rates of hotels��the revenue per

available room of hotels improved in April

2019 compared to a year ago�� latest

available data released by the Planning and

Statistics Authority show. The average occu-

pancy of hotels in April (YTD) has increased

by 8 percent to 70 percent against 62

percent for the same period last year.

When analysed by individual categories��data show that all categories of hotels regis-

tered growth in ‘hotel revenues per available

room’ by varying degrees ranging between

QR8 and QR27��with 1&2-Star hotel rooms

seeing the highest 30 percent��or QR27 (from

QR90 to QR117) increase in revenue per

available room. This was closely followed by

3-Star category hotels which saw their hotel

room revenue increased to QR142 in April��up

by 13.6 percent (or by QR17 per available

room) compared to QR125 in the same period

last year. The 4-Star and 5-Star category hotels

rooms recoded the same level of revenue

increase (QR8 per available room in absolute terms) which

increased to QR160 from QR152 (5.26 percent) and to QR363

from QR355 (2.25 percent)��respectively.

This remarkable improvement in the performance

of the hotel industry can be mainly attributed to the

increase in the number of tourists��especially as a result

of triple digit growth in cruise tourism. According to the

official data��some 789�027 visitors arrived to Qatar year-

to-date in April 2019. Out of that 685�388 people came

by Air and 103�639 by sea��which is over 101 percent surge

compared to 51�415 in the same period last year.

Europe and Asia accounted for a significant majority

(72 percent) of the total

number of visitors in

April (YTD) 2019��

with Europe (36 percent) followed by Asia (including

Oceania) accounting for 36 percent. GCC countries

accounted for 11 percent of the total number of visitors

for the period. Nearly 87 percent of the total number of

visitors came to Qatar by air and the remaining (13 percent)

by sea route

Contrary to hotel rooms��average revenues for ‘Hotel

Apartment’ rooms (measured in per available room)

showed a marginal decline of 1.6 percent (year-on-year)��which declined to QR247 in April from QR251 a year ago.

Revenues per available room in Deluxe category apart-

ments declined to QR267 in April 2019 from QR273 in

April 2018��and for Standard category it declined to QR150

from QR157 a year ago.

5

Since opening its doors to the public on March 28, the NMoQ’s immersive experience has attracted thousands of residents and tourists with its use of audio-visual presentations, digital exhibitions, historical artefacts and immersive, multisensory approach.

Qatar is set to welcome even more visitors from around the world

with the new elec-tronic visitor authorisation system, launched recently by Ministry of Interior and Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC).

The authorisation system enables residents to invite family and relatives from around the world to visit Qatar during the ‘Summer in Qatar’ programme and obtain a free visa upon arrival after applying through the online portal: http://www.qatarvisaservices.com.

Online authorisation system streamlines application process with a 24-hour turna-round time.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, said:

“The new electronic visitor authorisation system helps solidify Qatar’s ranking as the most open country in the region in terms of visa facilitation. The implementation of this system is a significant achievement for Qatar, as it streamlines the application process, enabling visitors of all nationalities to apply to enter our country and receive a free visa upon arrival. We are proud to offer a warm Qatari welcome to visitors from around the world, and look forward to offering them a taste of our genuine Arabian hospitality.

“This important initiative developed by the Ministry of Interior of the State of Qatar and Qatar National Tourism Council will enable us to welcome even more visitors, from even more countries, to

experience the many exciting attractions that await them during the ‘Summer in Qatar’ programme, Qatar continues to soar high in the sky where borders and boundaries do not exist, only horizons. We are overjoyed to continue bringing people together, one of our core values.”

The UN World Tourism Organization recently ranked Qatar as the ‘Most Open Desti-nation in the Middle East’ and the eighth most open desti-nation worldwide in terms of visa facilitation. The new facil-itation during the ‘Summer in Qatar’ programme will further enhance Qatar’s openness, and enrich travellers ‘experiences.

Qatar Airways recently partnered with QNTC to offer passengers up to 25 percent dis-count on airfares for all flights

to Doha as a final destination from more than 160 destina-tions worldwide on bookings up to 15 August, enabling cus-tomers to enjoy fun-filled ‘Summer in Qatar’ activities. In addition,

passengers already booked on Qatar Airways flights can also take advantage of a unique stopover package designed to give travellers transiting through Qatar the opportunity to discover Doha with amazing luxury hotel stays and complimentary transit visas. This year’s ‘Summer in Qatar’ programme introduces a wide range of exciting indoor activities and outdoor experiences, fun for family and friends.

Entertainment pro-grammes feature regional and internat ional art is ts , edutainment, sports camps and special promotions on inbound travel, hospitality and shopping.

Nine malls are partici-pating in the festivities,

offering retail savings of up to 70 percent, and a chance to win up to $2m in prizes, including the grand prize of a McLaren 570S.

Qatar Museums is offering authentic experiences, ena-bling visitors to immerse themselves in Qatar’s rich her-itage and cultural scene. Souq Waqif and Katara Cultural Village will bring vibrancy to the summer with family fun and entertainment shows during Eid Al-Adha.

‘Summer in Qatar’ also features international and Arab artists as well as a number of Bollywood singers performing at the Bollywood Musical Festival as well as the glittering South Indian Inter-national Movie Awards (SIIMA). Comedy fans can anticipate the return of the Doha Comedy Festival, while the little ones will enjoy numerous stage shows including ‘Hello Kitty’, ‘Aladdin’, ‘The Little Mermaid’ and ‘The Smurfs’.

Qatar welcomes more visitors with new authorisation system

Since its spectacular launch in March, the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) has become the nucleus of tourism in the country, being the most visited cul-

tural destination with the influx of vis-itors every day. The long queues of museum-goers especially on weekends are evident of the popularity of the Jean Nouvel-designed inno-vative museum.

The National Museum of Qatar has welcomed over 132,000 visitors in the first month since opening, firmly establishing its keystone role in the country’s cultural infrastructure. Since opening its doors to the public on March 28, the NMoQ’s immersive experience has attracted thousands of residents and tourists with its use of audio-visual presentations, digital exhibitions, historical artefacts and immersive, multisensory approach.

Sheikha Amna bint Abdulaziz bin Jassim Al Thani, Director of the National Museum of Qatar, said, “After more than a decade of planning, we are deeply gratified to welcome the people of Qatar and our international visitors to this exciting, multi-layered, experiential museum. From the start, Qatar Museums and the National Museum team knew that we wanted to create a living experience for our people — a museum with a heart. We have created galleries full of movement, sound, and color in order to engage our public fully, with their senses

and emotions as well as their intellects, and have assembled creative and authentic content that is so rich that people will discover something new with each visit. It is now time for the discoveries to begin.”

The National Museum of Qatar has also hosted several workshops, talks and presentations for members of the community. From welcoming some of the world’s best-known artists, to cre-ating new go-to sites for families, NMoQ has become a destination for those who want to learn about the country and its people.

From the outside, the stunning desert rose structure is a magnet for visitors but upon entry into the building , museum-goers are even more awed with its rich and immersive content. Having probably the largest permanent

video installation in the world, NMoQ has much of its indoor space made of cinematic display zones where spe-cially-commissioned films are pro-jected on.

It has close to 3,000sqm of pro-jection surfaces for screening films including 120 custom 4K and 8K video projectors. Nine commissioned films are projection mapped in high reso-lution on the surfaces of each gallery creating an immersive audio-visual experience and bringing to life the nar-ratives of the collections on display in an extraordinary and stunning way.

The first gallery features the four-minute film The Beginnings by French filmmaker Christophe Cheysson which takes the visitor on a journey through the marvels of space and time, revealing Earth as it was hundreds of millions of years ago and the origins of Qatar today.

In the second gallery is Land and Sea — a kaleidoscopic 18-minute nature film like no other by Cheysson and legendary natural history film-maker Jacques Perrin. Shown on the largest single projection surface at the high resolution employed anywhere in the world, the film takes visitors on a magical adventure across Qatar’s changing environment.

A large-scale film by Jananne Al-Ani,

Archaeology, is about Qatar’s archae-ological sites, which through beautiful aerial shots moves through periods of pre-history into the Bronze Age and beyond. Directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako, the film Life in Al Barr (Desert) fascinates visitors as it highlights the close rela-tionships between families and com-munities in the Northern Desert of Qatar in 1950s and 1960s, by re-imag-ining a day in the life of a Qatari family.

The next gallery features another Sossako film Al Zubarah which tells the story of life in the old coastal city of Al Zubarah, one of Qatar’s most sig-nificant historical sites.

Critically acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair tells visitors the story of pearl divers and the hardships they endure to bring home a seasonal income in the film Nafas (Breath) - a story beau-tifully told through the parallel journey of a couple brought together on land and separated for months by the sea.

In a poetic manner, ‘Shadows of History’ by British director Peter Webber awakens figures of the past to re-capture a story that contributed to the founding of Qatar depicting the story of a man who united tribes under one flag to create a nation.

The ‘Coming of Oil’ is a multi-channel installation by renowned video artist Doug Aitken that explores the layered geological depths of the land and the historical legacy brought by the discovery of oil, a turning point in the history and development of present day Qatar.

NMoQ is planning a range of events and programmes to run across the summer, including launching ‘Activity Backpacks’ which children and fam-ilies could pick up at reception to have access to themed activities related to the gallery they are visiting. In collab-oration with the Friends of the Envi-ronment Centre, NMoQ will be installing an insect breeding cage in the Natural Environments galleries for visitors to learn about and observe the lifecycle of insects, with FoEC spe-cialists on hand to talk to visitors.

Working with Al Thuraya Plane-tarium (Katara), NMoQ will launch a programme of in-gallery expert talks and short films connected to celestial navigation and traditional practices. Later in the year, to celebrate the opening of the NMoQ playgrounds in the fall, NMoQ will organise a week-long festival of family activities, including drama, film, art and food.

Visitors throng National Museum of Qatar

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HAMAD International Airport (HIA) cele-brated its fifth year of operations on May 27. Qatar’s state-of-the-art airport marked the

anniversary by organising a parade in the terminal which aimed at engaging passengers thanking them for their con-tribution and support towards the rapid growth of the airport.

Commenting on the occasion, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al Meer, Chief Oper-ating Officer at Hamad International Airport, said: “It brings us great pleasure to witness the remarkable and successful journey of HIA over the past 5 years. We are gathered to cel-ebrate the growth, achievements and success story of HIA redefining the airport experience around the globe for over 170 million passengers to date. We are committed more than ever to provide our passengers with unmatched five-star services and strive to grow together with their con-tinuous support and loyalty.”

After the airport started its operation on May 27, 2014 by an inaugural flight from Qatar’s national airline, Qatar Airways, HIA has since been on a road to success. The airport has become one of the fastest growing hubs in the world.

HIA’S EXPANSION PLANS

Within 5 years of operations, HIA has started the second phase of its ter-minal expansion plans to accommodate 53 million passengers annually at the airport by 2022. The airport will see the construction of an Airport City which

will provide significant future investment opportunities, including a free trade zone, an office and business complex, and hotels among others. HIA will also see the construction of a new cargo terminal. This will increase the capacity handled to 3 million tons per year and will help accom-modate the expected surge in freight traffic.

HIA is set to begin the construction of the expanded terminal on the second half of 2019.

5 YEARS OF

INVESTMENT IN

CUTTING-EDGE

TECHNOLOGY

After the successful com-pletion of the first major phase of its Smart Airport program in 2018, HIA enabled the 5-star home carrier Qatar Airways to process more than 25% of its passengers using self-service check-in and bag-drop facil-ities. This was accomplished by com-missioning 62 next-generation self-service check-in kiosks and 12 self-service bag drops spread across the departures check-in hall. A first of its kind in any major airport worldwide, mobile Automated Visa Document Check has also been implemented in the five-star terminal to enable ground services agents to check passengers visa documentation.

HIA is now launching the second phase of its innovative Smart Airport program through facial biometric

recognition across all key passenger touch points. Currently under trial, the system is a central piece of the airport’s digital strategy and combines pas-sengers’ flight, passport, and facial bio-metric information in a single electronic record at the self-check-in kiosk or mobile app.

HIA is also maintaining its ISO/IEC 20000 certification, provided to entities with the highest global standard for IT Service Management. The airport will continue investing in the best of breed technology and innovative solutions in the terminal to continue facilitating faster passenger movement within the terminal, while complying with the highest standards for service quality, security, and safety. The airport is also amongst few in the world exploring the potential use of augmented reality and virtual reality for various operations.

5 YEARS OF INTERNATIONAL

RECOGNITION

After only 2 years of operations, HIA has joined the chart of the top 10 Best Airports in the World by Skytrax in early 2016. The Doha hub was classified as the first Middle East airport to be listed amongst the world’s most advanced air-ports. Ever since this achievement, HIA has been rapidly climbing up the ladder. HIA was then ranked as the ‘6th Best Airport in the World’ in 2017. Last year, HIA made its way to join the 5 best air-ports in the world after being ranked ‘5th Best Airport in the World’.

HIA’s ever-growing vision to become the world’s airport of choice amongst passengers worldwide has never been more alive. Recently, HIA has continued this path to success by ranking ‘4th Best Airport in the World’ at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2019. HIA has also been named as a five-star airport and was honoured with the title of ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ for the fifth year in a row and ‘Best Staff Service in the Middle East’ for the fourth year in a row in 2019. This is a testament to the airport’s commitment to providing 5-star cus-tomer service and its plans to be one of the most operationally efficient air-ports worldwide.

5 YEARS OF WORLD-CLASS ART

Along its exciting journey, HIA has established itself as a destination on its own in the world map for art and culture. The airport is home to a con-siderable range of art work that spans across artistic media including paintings, sculptures, electronic and interactive installations from both local and inter-nationally renowned artists. The air-port’s newest installations include ‘SMALL LIE’ by world renowned

American artist and designer KAWS and French artist, Jean-Michel Othoniel’s installation of ‘Cosmos’. The art com-missioned in the airport is installed in collaboration with the local museum authority, Qatar Museums. HIA houses more than 20 permanent art pieces, catering to different passengers traveling through the terminal.

5 YEARS OF HOSPITALITY

HIA offers endless shopping and dining, entertainment nodes, and relax-ation facilities all housed in one expansive terminal. HIA’s award-winning partner Qatar Duty Free (QDF) composes of 90 shops, 30 cafes and restaurants, spread out over 40,000 square meters of com-bined retail, food and beverage facilities. HIA’s passenger terminal complex also boasts 12 lounges across the terminal and an airport hotel, featuring a Vitality Well-being & Fitness Centre, responding to the diverse needs of the modern traveller. Qatar’s five-star airport has received numerous recognitions from Skytrax World Airport awards for its state-of-the-art terminal and facilities. These include the ‘5th World’s Best Airport Dining’ and ‘4th Best Airport Shopping’ in 2018.

HIA has also been named ‘9th World’s Cleanest Airport’ and the world’s ‘3rd Best Airport Leisure Amenities ‘. These facil-ities shape the travel experience for pas-sengers, by providing a smooth and hassle-free experience through world-star customer services and facilities. HIA continues investing in retail, hospitality and leisure as a priority to cater to an increasing number of passengers.

Hamad International Airport celebrates remarkable 5 years

Engr. Badr Mohammed Al Meer, Chief Operating Officer at Hamad International Airport.

HIA ranked best for passenger experience

Hamad International Airport (HIA) has been named the “Best Airport for Passenger Experience” for the second consecutive year in a study by AirHelp, the world’s leading air passenger rights specialist. Qatar Airways,

the national carrier of the State of Qatar has also been ranked as the number one airline for the second consecutive year. The study ranked 72 airlines and 132 airports on punctuality, quality of service, dining and shopping experiences.

Engr. Badr Mohammed Al Meer, Chief Operating Officer at Hamad Interna-tional Airport, stated: “It is a pleasure to receive this ranking from AirHelp and to witness that HIA is recognised by our passengers and partners. HIA will continue to raise the bar and introduce innovations in the passenger experience to provide travellers with exceptional services. We dedicate this success to our strong cus-tomer-centric vision and our employees for the hard work and commitment that helps HIA stand out on the global spectrum.”

Henrik Zillmer, AirHelp’s CEO and co-founder, said: “AirHelp analyzed 132 airports and found that customers enjoyed the best experience at Hamad Inter-national Airport. HIA is also ranked as one of the top airports in the world for on-time performance (8.3 out of 10), while air passengers are very pleased with the service quality (8.5) and food and shopping available there (8.5) and con-sider it among the best found at airports around the world. On behalf of AirHelp, I commend Hamad International Airport for consistently offering travellers a superior experience.”

HIA is home to Qatar Duty Free, an award-winning shopping emporium, composed of more than 90 shops, 30 cafes and restaurants, spread out over 40,000 square meters of combined retail, food and beverage facilities.

HIA’s passenger terminal complex also boasts 12 lounges across the ter-minal and an airport hotel, featuring a Vitality Well-being & Fitness Centre, responding to the diverse needs of the modern traveller. These facilities shape the travel experience for passengers, by providing a smooth and hassle-free experience through world-star customer services and facilities.

Recently, HIA ranked second best airport in the world for On-Time Per-formance (OTP) in OAG’s Punctuality League report. HIA has also retained its top position as the best airport in the Middle East for the fifth consecutive year and ranked as the fourth best airport in the world at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2019.

We are committed more than ever to

provide our passengers with unmatched five-

star services and strive to grow together

with their continuous support and loyalty.”

HIA has started the second phase of its terminal expansion plans to accommodate 53 million passengers annually

HIA enabled the 5-star home carrier Qatar Airways to process more than 25% of its passengers using self-service check-in and bag-drop facilities.

53 million

25%

4th Best Airport in the WorldHIA has continued this path to success by ranking ‘4th Best Airport in the World’ at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2019.

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Proud to have exceeded your expectation.Thank you for making us the 4 Best Airport in the World.th

2016

2017

2018

4 Best Airportin the World

th

20195 th Best Airport

in the World

6 th Best Airportin the World

10 th Best Airportin the World

08

Msheireb Downtown Doha will be home of Juniverse, an innovative theme

park for children that will be the first city in space.

The announcement was made during an agreement signing between Msheireb Prop-erties, the national real estate developer and a subsidiary of Qatar Foundation, and Talal Bin Mohammed Trading (TBMT) the ground-breaking location-based entertainment company operating in Qatar.

Juniverse will offer an engaging and dynamic learning experience to inspire, educate, and entertain children aged 4-17 years. With over 50 attractions and rides, this world-first edutainment park will engage youth in exciting, futuristic mis-sions necessary to keep society safe and sustainable.

Children will learn to perform a variety of challenging

role-playing activities such as growing and harvesting their own food and conducting medical surgeries and many others. In addition, adults will enjoy team building activities and programmes. The park will include multiple food and bev-erages outlets, retail stores, and various attractions, utilising leading-edge technology to completely revolutionise enter-tainment for young people.

Ali Al Kuwari, Acting CEO of Msheireb Properties, said: “Opening a first-in-the-world theme park such as Juniverse aligns with our promise to create a city of firsts at the heart of Doha.

The edutainment centre will be located at the Galleria, an enclosed air-conditioned shopping mall, making Msheireb Downtown Doha a family and tourist destination in Qatar with unique experiences that are not available anywhere else. We are very happy with this collaboration

with TBMT and we look forward to the opening soon.”

Ali bin Mohammed Al Attia, Deputy CEO of TBMT, said: “We are excited to enter a unique venture with Msheireb Prop-erties by bringing a cutting-edge edutainment centre to the heart of Doha. We believe in the importance of innovating expe-riences that develop youth skills, instil joy and create lasting impressions.

“Through creativity, inno-vation, game and design thinking, we believe we can rev-olutionise family entertainment and build world-class tourism destinations that are in line with Qatar National Tourism Strategy 2030. We share our vision with Msheireb Properties who have revived the city centre and created a smart city district for the future. We are excited to be partnering with Msheireb Prop-erties and look forward to future successes.”

Msheireb Downtown Doha to have innovative theme park for children

First Angry Birds World entertainment park opens at Doha Festival City

The world’s first Angry Birds World enter-tainment park marked its grand opening at Doha Festival City in April, wel-coming guests into

Qatar’s unique indoor and outdoor destination.

Home to the world-famous Angry Birds flock, the 17,000 square metre nest brings a riot of fun for the whole family. Following the launch of its indoor section last year, the park extends the same excitement to its enchanting outdoor section, as part of the second phase. One of the

much-anticipated attractions is the Super Slingshot.

At 42 metres in height, this imposing structure is hard to miss. Themed around the classic bird-flinging gameplay, the slingshot cat-apults guests more than 60 meters into the air, offering a truly heart-pounding experience.

Red’s House, as featured in The Angry Birds Movie, will delight guests with its quirky style while indulging little ones in sand play activities. The Raft Battle takes guests on a voyage from the Bird Island to an interactive cinematic experience. For a hearty

dose of thrill, guests can climb aboard the Angry Coaster – a fast and furious ride that twists through the air.

Adventure enthusiasts can head to the park’s City Studio. The bustling adventure hub allows visitors to test their strengths with a range of activ-ities involving wall climbing, parabolic slides, roller gliders and ropes course.

Once indoors, visitors can enjoy exhilarating rides with Blast Bomb, a drop and twist tower that features free-fall motion from a height of 11 metres, or Red Alert, a 360-degree spin ride or a laser tag battle. Amidst the range of attractions, the park also

boasts the world’s first indoor/outdoor karting track and The Big Tree, a multi-level creative playground offering a variety of edutainment workshops for little ones, in addition to exciting challenges such as ropes course and zip line. Visitors can keep the energy soaring at the Trampoline Universe, comprising a basketball court, foam pit and a kids’ court.

Ali Bin Mohamed Bin Khalifa Al Attia, Deputy CEO of Leisure, owner of Trimoo Parks, the company oper-ating the entertainment park, said: “This is a proud moment for us, we are extremely delighted to open our doors

to a first-of-its-kind indoor outdoor destination in Qatar and the World.”

“The Angry Birds celebrate their 10-year anniversary this year, but our work has just begun in terms of expanding the brand’s footprint and establishing multiple touchpoints with our fans worldwide,” said Simo Hämäläinen Head of Brand Licensing at Rovio Entertainment.

Robert Hall, General Manager of Doha Festival City, said: “Angry Birds World is a family favourite and we believe that our visitors will have more reasons to enjoy it with the opening of the Outdoor park.”

Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) became the founding sponsor of the IE University UNWTO Tourism Online Academy, which was established following a

signing ceremony in Doha in April. The agreement was signed by Assistant Secretary-General of QNTC, Hassan Al Ibrahim, and Global Director of Corporate Relations at IE University, William Davila, in the presence of Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organisation of the United Nations (UNWTO), Zurab Pololikashvili.

The online platform will provide profes-sionals with easy access to high quality edu-cation and training in travel and tourism, hos-pitality and destination management. The ini-tiative will provide easily accessible and exhaustive training for people seeking a pro-fession in the tourism sector, which provides one in ten jobs globally. The academy will benefit from UNWTOs thorough knowledge and expertise in tourism, as well as IE Univer-sity’s innovative education model. Graduates will receive an IE University UNWTO Online Tourism Academy certification in Foundations

of Management Applied to Tourism.Al Ibrahim said: “Qatar is constantly striving

to be at the cutting-edge of a rapidly and dynam-ically developing industry. As a government organisation focusing on ensuring the best pos-sible experiences to our visitors, QNTC recog-nises the vital role that tourism education and training institutions play in leading the industry towards competitiveness and sustainability. And, we are pleased to support UNWTO in developing and delivering programmes that will enable pro-fessionals to meet the tourism labor market needs.”

William Davila, Global Director of Cor-porate Relations at IE University, commented, “IE University shapes leaders with a global vision and an entrepreneurial mindset to drive innovation and change in organisations. The Tourism Online Academy in collaboration with UNWTO, and with the support of QNTC, will create an important impact in the society, sup-porting the growth of the tourism industry on a global basis. The signing of this agreement is the first step in the creation of the Tourism Online Academy.”

Doha gets first Online Tourism Academy

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AN ISLAND THAT FEELSA WORLD AWAYBeat the heat this summer in a paradise with world class facilities and limitless activities providing relaxation and adventure, wellness and pure indulgence.

Day Pass Package includes: Luxury boat transfer Pool and beach access QAR 200 credit to spend at any resort restaurant QAR 50 credit to spend on any recreational activity

Weekday Price QAR 350. For weekends please contact us.

Beat the heat in an island sanctuary at Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara

Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara offers guests a unique resort experience that feels a world away from bustling Doha, yet is

only a 25 minute journey by luxury ferry from Al Shyoukh Terminal located in the city’s downtown area.

With the first and only over water villas in Qatar, the sanctuary island setting offers natural exclusivity and extensive facilities for everyone with unlimited opportunities for relaxation and adventure, wellness, romance and pure indulgence.

The 141 luxury guest rooms, suites and villas are designed with signature Anantara touches, including 34

spacious Sea View Pool Villas featuring the tropical indulgence of a personal pool and poolside cabana. Elegantly poised above turquoise waters, the eight three-bedroom Over Water Villas and trio of prestigious five-bedroom Anantara Over Water Villas offer lux-urious space and a private infinity pool, ideal for families and groups of friends, revealing views of azure sea and unfor-gettable sunsets from a spacious private deck.

Making the most of its stunning location, the resort boasts its own marina with 30 berths and a fully equipped dive centre. Endless water sport fun ranges from the relaxing pace of kayaking, pedals and stand up paddle boarding, the thrills of

wakeboarding, banana boat, water skiing and jet skiing, to fishing trips. In the resort’s two lane surf pool the waves can be controlled to suit dif-ferent skill levels, making it easier to master surfing techniques. Those who prefer to refresh and relax can enjoy the resort’s private 800 metre long beach, energise in the 100 metre long lagoon pool or watch their little ones play in the children’s pool which fea-tures its own water slides.

Guests looking for recreation options on dry land are also spoilt for choice, from tennis, beach volleyball and a fitness centre, to an enter-tainment centre with a nine-hole putting golf course, eight pin bowling alley and VIP cinema

theatre. With dedicated facilities and fully qualified professional child minders, families are welcome at the Cool Mint Kids Club and Pepper Mint Teens Club, the perfect place to make new friends and socialise, play games and get active on the obstacle course and in the adventure zone.

The resort’s dedicated Balance Wellness Centre is the first and only facility of its kind in the Middle East within a resort, offering holistic pro-grammes for relaxation, detox, de-stress and radiance, fitness, weight

management and alternative therapy, as well as pre and post-natal and anti-ageing journeys. Wellbeing goes hand in hand with expert pampering at Anantara Spa’s tranquil overwater sanctuary, featuring separate male and female hammams and Jacuzzis and a treatment menu that pays tribute to Doha’s ancient tribal tra-ditions and rich cultural heritage.

Eight dining options offer a mouth-watering choice of Middle Eastern, Italian, Indian and international cui-sines, to be savoured at spectacular locations all around the island from the marina, poolside, by the shoreline and on over water decks with tranquil views and soft sea breezes.

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Al Ghariya Beach: Historically the location of desert camp for the country’s scouting movement, it is now a popular getaway for campers.

Fuwairit Beach: Home to Hawksbill sea turtle, the beach is closed during turtle nesting season, usually from April until August.

Al Thakhira Beach: Home to the largest man-grove preserve in Qatar, it is an ideal site for kayaking and fishing. Al Farkiya Beach: In Al Khor, the beach offers lots of facilities for visitors including a garden. This one is open only for families.

Simaisma Family Beach: Another of the family beaches in Doha, it is 47 minutes north of Doha and a clean and safe beach

Al-Wakrah Family Beach: Located about 30min drive from Doha, the family beach is known for mangroves and little fishes.

Sealine Beach: A great spot for fishing and camping, especially during the winter season.

Al Khraij Beach: Located in Umm Bab, this family beach is also known as Palm Tree Beach for its cluster of palm trees.

Dukhan Beach: Ideal for surfing and swimming and to watch fish and crabs.

Katara Beach: An ideal beach right next to the cultural hub of Qatar, Katara beach offers a selection of watersport activities. On weekdays, the beach is open from 9:30 am to sunset, while on weekend is open till 9:30pm.

10amazing beaches in Qatar

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Qatar’s coastline offers its residents and tourists many unspoiled tracts of clean sandy beach to unwind on. Right now is the ideal weather to head outdoors!

Fuwairit Beach, Facebbook.com/VisitQatar

Sealine Beach

Katara Beach

PICS: BAHER AMIN & ABDUL BASIT / THE PENINSULA

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Katara Hospitality, a leading global hotel owner, developer and operator, based in Qatar, brings nationals and residents of Qatar, Kuwait and Oman

an exclusive offer, starting from June 1 and ending on August 31, 2019.

A memorable vacation awaits guests of all ages across four continents in dis-tinguished destinations including; Doha, Paris, Cannes, Milan, Rome, Madrid, Amsterdam, Lausanne, Bern, Lake Lucerne, London, New York and Sharm El Sheikh. Guests may immerse in luxury with a special package for nationals and residents of Qatar, Kuwait and Oman inclusive of cutting-edge amenities and facilities that cater to today’s interna-tional travellers.

A part of Katara Hospitality’s com-mitment towards the community and given the success achieved from

Summer Package last year; the company has launched this package for the second time this year with additional and exclusive privileges.

Locally, Katara Hospitality’s summer package includes 40% discount on luxury accommodation, 4th night free when booking (3) consecutive nights, complimentary daily breakfast for two adults and two children, personalised in-room amenities, QR125 Resort credit per stay excluding beverages and tobacco, airport pick up and drop off for guests from Kuwait and Oman and 24hrs check-in service, subject to availability.

This offer is valid for nationals and residents of Qatar, Kuwait and Oman in The Ritz-Carlton, Doha; Sharq Village & Spa, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel; Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel; Mövenpick Hotel Doha; Sealine Beach, a Murwab Resort; Simaisma, a Murwab Resort and The Avenue, a Murwab Hotel.

Internationally, the offer includes 25% discount for nationals and resident of state of Qatar only on luxury accom-modation, complimentary authentic Qatari or Arabic breakfast during stay to make guests feel at home away from

home, personalised in-room amenities offering local delicacies, 24hrs check-in service, subject to availability in Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris; Buddha-Bar Hotel Paris; The Peninsula Paris; InterContinental Carlton Cannes;

InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam; InterContinental Madrid; Excelsior Hotel Gallia, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Milan; The Westin Excelsior, Rome; Schweiz-erhof Hotel Bern; Renaissance Golden View Beach Resort Sharm El Sheikh; Hotel Royal Savoy Lausanne; Adria Bou-tique Hotel, London; Taverne 1879 at Bürgenstock Hotels & Resort; Palace Hotels & Conferences Lake Lucerne; Bürgenstock Hotels & Alpine Spa Lake Lucerne; Residences at Hotels & Resorts Lake Lucerne; Waldhotel Health & Medical Excellence, Lake Lucerne; The Plaza, A Fairmont Managed Hotel.

Katara Hospitality aims to offer its dis-tinguished guests unique and diversified experiences that are reminiscent of the authenticity of Qatari heritage and Arabic culture. Katara Hospitality places high impor-tance on initiatives that enhance combines offering while highlighting the passion for creating the ultimate guest experiences.

Katara Hospitality opens its hotels’ doorswith ‘your key to luxury’ summer package

katarahospitality.com

WE ARE CHANGING THE WORLD OF HOSPITALITY.Pride is what we feel when we look at our past. Passion is what inspires our present.Perfection is our plan for tomorrow.

Katara Hospitality. Rejuvenating the iconic. Inspiring the future. Welcoming the world.