The initiative is part of a broader campaign called +Qatar, which looks to encourage all transit passengers to consider adding Qatar to their itinerary.
Throughout the summer, the national carrier, with the support of QTA, will give passengers the chance to “turn a layover into a stayover” by offering four- and five-star hotel accommodation at no charge to those transiting through Doha.
“The promotion invites all Qatar Airways passengers to add Doha to their vacation by taking advantage of a free one-night hotel stay from a selection of the country’s best four- and five-star hotels in the capital, Doha,” the airline said in a press statement yesterday, stressing that the offer allows passengers travelling through Doha to experience a taste of the Middle East for free.
Passengers transiting through Doha can extend their stay to make the most of their journey, taking in the sights of Doha with a completely free night courtesy of Qatar Airways and QTA or stay a little longer with a second night’s stay for a $50 booking fee. Passengers can choose from hotels such as The Four Seasons, Marriott Marquis, Radisson Blu and Oryx Rotana.
“The free hotel accommodation, available throughout the summer, will offer passengers the opportunity to explore Doha and experience city tours, desert safari adventures or a dinner cruise aboard a traditional dhow, giving visitors a taste of authentic Arabian hospitality, courtesy of Discover Qatar,” the statement noted.
The offer with QTA has been launched by Qatar Airways’ newly created destination management company, Discover Qatar, and is “one of many new initiatives that will be launched over the coming months to generate awareness of, and visits to, Qatar”. It is designed to kick off the newly launched campaign, +Qatar, from QTA and is aimed at supporting the growing demand for tourism in Qatar.
To be eligible for the offer, passengers have to book their flight on www.qatarairways.com, select ‘multi-city’ and choose their hotel once they receive their flight confirmation. The online transit visa application is also free and eligible for those in transit between five and 96 hours.
The offer is available for all Qatar Airways passengers, both Premium and Economy, “demonstrating the airline’s commitment” to its brand ethos of ‘Going Places Together’. To maximise their time in Qatar, visitors can explore additional stopover packages offered by Discover Qatar.
Qatar Airways Group chief executive Akbar al-Baker said: “Qatar Airways is more than just a national flag-carrier for Qatar; we are proudly patriotic and want to share Qatar’s many exciting attractions with our passengers from around the world. This exclusive initiative provides the opportunity to add an extra element to our passengers’ existing travel plans with a complimentary hotel stay in some of Doha’s finest hotels.
QTA chief tourism development officer Hassan al-Ibrahim said: “With the launch of +Qatar, we aim to convert a larger portion of the 30mn passengers passing through Hamad International Airport into stopover visitors. We are delighted to make Qatar more accessible to people from around the world and invite them to discover our country, our cultural heritage and our natural treasures.”
This announcement comes as the airline celebrates its 20th year of operations.
53% rise in stopover passengers
Stressing it was a “great source of pride for all of us in Qatar when we launched the transit visa last November”, Qatar Tourism Authority chief tourism development officer Hassan al-Ibrahim said there has been a “surge in stopover passengers”, with a 53% increase recorded in March 2017 compared to the same month last year.
