Visitors to the Al Zubarah historical fort, a local tourist destination, have been quoted as saying that the site is in real need of more development.
It was designated a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2013.
Local Arabic daily Arrayah quoted several visitors to the site as saying that although it is a very important heritage site, it lacks the necessary facilities for the convenience of tourists as well as visitors.
They said that the fort needs a comprehensive service complex that should include a cafeteria, restaurants, toilets, gift shops and other facilities.
In addition, the roads leading to the fort from Al Shamal Road are in serious need of upgrading as they lack adequate lighting and road signs.
In addition, they said, the roads need to be paved.
They point out that the fort attracts many tourists of different nationalities daily and they need access to services such as a tourist guide to provide authentic and historic information.
At present all they have are information boards inside the fort.
Qatari Mohamed al-Nuaimi pointed out that the place should be developed as it is a good investment in promoting local tourist attractions.
Western tourist Ron said the place is a major historic landmark of Qatar and the number of people visiting the fort has been increasing day by day.
Zubarah is located on the northwestern coast of the Qatar peninsula in the Shamal municipality, about 105km from Doha.
It was founded in the mid-18th century and was once a successful centre of trade and pearl fishing, positioned midway between the Strait of Hormuz and the west arm of the Arabian Gulf.
It is one of the most extensive and best preserved examples of an 18th-19th century settlement in the region.
The layout and urban fabric of the settlement has been preserved in a manner unlike any other settlements in the Gulf, providing an insight into the urban life and the social and economic history of the region before the discovery of oil and gas in the 20th century.
Al Zubarah fort attracts many tourists
