Multinational participation at Qatar Balloon Festival

The upcoming Qatar Balloon Festival 2023 will see participants from various nations, the organisers have said.
The participating balloonists come from Qatar, Belgium, France, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkiye, the UK, and the US.
Fifty-two hot-air balloons have been registered for the event.
A press conference was held at the newly opened Mina Hotel and Residences on Monday to announce the sponsors and partners of Qatar Balloon Festival 2023.
The festival will take place at Old Doha Port from January 19-28.
The press conference was organised on the open terrace of the hotel with a spectacular panoramic view of the port and the city of Doha.
Two hot air balloons inflated during the press conference offered a nice surprise not only for the event attendees, but also for all those at Doha Port, who stopped to watch.
The press conference was attended by Safe Flight Solutions chief executive Hassan al-Mousawi, Old Doha Port executive director Mohamed Abdulla al-Mulla, Qatar Tourism’s Hamad al-Khaja, Bawabat Al Shamal Real Estate Company assistant general manager Jihad Zakrout, and Doha Festival City assistant general manager Hazim Murad.
"Doha Port provides a perfect spot for Qatar Balloon Festival 2023, offering a breathtaking view of West Bay, while the event is meant to attract more visitors to the newly developed Doha Port area with multiple restaurants, cafes and souvenir shops," a press statement noted.
At the same time, the festival will be an added attraction for passengers arriving on cruise ships.
The event's partners include Qatar Tourism, which is the strategic partner.
The highlights of the festival include sunrise balloon launches, tethered flights, nightglow, entertainment, playground, and food kiosks and trucks.