QTA’s association with Paris

Saint-Germain will promote Qatar as a tourist destination to millions of the club’s fans

 

Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), in a  new initiative, has tied up with one of the richest football teams in the world, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), to promote the state in a big way to European audiences.

“This partnership links QTA and Paris Saint-Germain for the long term, providing an opportunity for Qatar to capitalise on the power and reach of sports to promote its numerous tourism assets,” said a QTA statement.

No financial details of the deal were disclosed.

Over the past few years, Qatar has been investing heavily in tourism development. QTA has recently established a tourism office in Paris.

Qatar as a  destination provides “a unique and authentic experience to regional and international tourists,” QTA said. “Besides the ideal conditions and impressive facilities, Qatar has a fascinating cultural heritage, splendid landmarks, 563km of sandy coastline, museums hosting some of the region’s most impressive art collections and an array of world-leading sports events.”

Qatar also holds leading sports events each year: among them  are the ATP and WTA tennis tournaments, the cycling Tour of Qatar and the MotoGP.

In 2015, Qatar will host the Handball World Championship, in 2016 it will play host to the Cycling World Championships and in  2022 the FIFA Football World Cup.

“To realise its immense tourism potential and translate it into tangible social and economic benefits for the country, Qatar has chosen to develop a global outreach strategy, tailor-made for each market, and supported by coherent investments, which includes sports as a major component,” the QTA statement said.

“To reach France and other European markets, Paris Saint-Germain seemed a natural partner. Being associated with one of the best clubs in Europe and indirectly with Paris as a destination is an ideal opportunity for QTA to promote Qatar.”

Rashed al-Qurese, director of Marketing and Promotions at QTA, said tourism promotion was critical for Qatar to promote its economy, cultural heritage and offerings as a destination.

QTA’s association with Paris Saint-Germain will promote Qatar as a tourist destination to millions of the club’s fans.

For Paris Saint-Germain, the partnership with QTA  opens up new markets to the club and provides access an even bigger audience, in line with its global development strategy. The association also allows the club to access world-class training facilities in Qatar such as the Aspire Zone during their annual Winter Tour.

From November onwards, several full size outdoor billboards, located in key spots around Paris, will highlight Paris Saint-Germain players in front of iconic Qatar landmarks – uniting the club and the country under the banner “Partners in Dreams”.

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