The recent opening of two more lines of the Lusail Tram is expected to spur “exponential growth” in local tourism, particularly within the vicinity of Lusail City, a Qatar Rail executive has said.Lusail City has been attracting thousands of local and international visitors in recent years as it is home to several touristic destinations, such as world-class malls and theme parks. It is also a hub for luxury residential homes, retail and food outlets, and offices for public and private sector entities.Only recently, Qatar Rail announced the launch of the Pink Line and the completion of all Orange Line stations. According to Qatar Rail, once the full tram network opens, it will connect various government offices, residential towers, leisure and sports facilities, avenues, marinas and other major attractions across Lusail City.Engineer Ahmed al-Saleh, senior director of the Lusail Tram Project at Qatar Rail, spoke to the media earlier and pointed out that the transport agency’s focus is on encouraging more people to utilise the tram, thus increasing ridership.Not only will this drive tourism growth in the Lusail area, but the expanded operations of the Lusail Tram will also help entice more people to relocate and live in Lusail City’s residential neighbourhood, al-Saleh emphasised.Engineer Jassim al-Ansari, chief of Programme Delivery at Qatar Rail, also said plans are in the pipeline to add tram links, similar to the Metro Link, to augment the transportation needs of the riding public.“A study, as well as preparations for a tram link, are being put in place. But this will always be subject to the number of ridership. In Lusail, particularly, we need to be more careful, and we need to know exactly where we can have more catchment of population and ridership to have effective operation of a tram link,” al-Ansari told Gulf Times.He added: “We are in favour of increasing ridership and encouraging more people from the surrounding neighbourhoods to use our network, considering that the Lusail Tram is also connected to the Doha Metro network.Ajlan Eid al-Enazi, chief of Strategy and Business Development at Qatar Rail, underscored the importance of both the Doha Metro and the Lusail Tram, saying both transport networks help the riding public save on travel time.Both networks also provide accessibility to key destinations, such as government offices, corporate buildings, commercial shops and malls, restaurants, and other tourism-related establishments.Citing Qatar Rail’s successful experience during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, al-Enazi said the Doha Metro and Lusail Tram served as a vital mode of transportation for many sports fans. He said both networks will continue to ferry passengers quickly and safely during future sporting events to be hosted in Qatar.