Qatar is now an approved destination for Chinese tourists, following the signing of a bilateral agreement between Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) and the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA). 
In a statement on Tuesday, QTA noted that the agreement grants Qatar an ‘Approved Destination Status (ADS),’ allowing it to receive Chinese tourists and hold tourism promotional activities within China.
“We are delighted to welcome Qatar to the list of countries that have ADS. This system aims to guarantee safe and reliable tourism services for Chinese customers from both local travel agencies and international tour operators,” CNTA chairman Li Jinzao said.
He added that CNTA has seen the Qatari tourism sector make great strides, ensuring that Chinese travellers will find fulfilling experiences and a high level of service in Qatar.
Qatar’s ambassador to China Sultan Salmeen al-Mansouri said Qatar has been watching the Chinese outbound market grow by leaps and bounds over the past few years, reaching 135mn travellers in 2016. 
“With growing interest from Chinese tourists to venture outside the Far East and explore the Arab world, this is a great opportunity to build new bridges between the two regions,” he noted.
Al-Mansouri stressed that the QTA-CNTA agreement embodies Qatar’s support for the ‘Belt and Road Initiative,’ for which Qatar was one of the first countries to express support to such development. 
“As more projects are implemented as part of the initiative, we expect more opportunities for collaboration between our two countries, particularly in commerce, tourism, sport and culture,” the envoy said.
Citing a robust Chinese economy and an increasingly open tourism policy, QTA’s chief tourism development officer Hassan al-Ibrahim noted that the Chinese outbound tourism market has been the largest in the world since 2012 with the growth expected to continue. “We are excited to work with our partners in the tourism industry to offer our renowned hospitality to our Chinese guests. We look forward to welcoming visitors as they discover our cultural heritage and natural treasures,” he said.
Qatar is home to the award-winning five star airline Qatar Airways. The national carrier flies directly to six destinations in mainland China, including Beijing, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu, Shanghai, and Hangzhou.
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