*The inauguration of terminal coincides with the arrival of mega ship TUI Mein Schiff 5 carrying 3,350 passengers


The 2019/2020 cruise season kicked off on Tuesday with the inauguration of a new passenger terminal at Doha Port and the arrival of mega ship TUI Mein Schiff 5, highlighting Qatar’s fourth and largest cruise tourism season.

The event witnessed the arrival of 3,350 cruise passengers who were warmly welcomed with authentic Qatari hospitality – from ardha dance performances to an array of cultural experiences and cuisines.

In a statement, Minister of Transport and Communications HE Jassim bin Saif al-Sulaiti said the opening of the new temporary terminal at Doha Port will support the country’s strategy to develop cruise tourism.

“Doha Port is playing a key role in reinforcing Qatar’s position as an attractive tourist destination through securing and receiving international cruise ships, as well as providing all the facilities necessary for the growth of a sector that is considered a key contributor to the economic diversity pursued by Qatar National Vision 2030,” he noted.

The new facility, spread over 6,000sq m, will serve as a temporary terminal for the next two seasons until Doha Port’s expansion plan is completed in 2022, according to a statement from the Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC).

HE the Minister added that Doha Port continues to receive ships even as it undergoes a comprehensive development process that will see it become a unique and all-inclusive cruise tourism hub, highlighting that the Ministry of Transport and Communications has completed the dredging and digging works that significantly increased the port’s berthing capacity.

The minister said that Mwani, QNTC and other stakeholders continue to collaborate towards the larger goal of delivering world-class services to all passengers and ensuring swift and seamless flows into and out of the Port.

Officials of QNTC and its partners in developing the cruise sector led the inauguration, which included: QNTC Secretary General and Qatar Airways Group chief executive HE Akbar al-Baker, Department of Passport and Expatriates Affairs Director-General Brigadier Mohamed Ahmed al-Atiq, General Customs Authority Chairman Ahmed bin Abdullah al-Jamal, Mwani Qatar CEO Captain Abdullah al-Khanji, and Hamad International Airport (HIA) COO Badr Mohamed al-Meer.

“Despite this being a temporary terminal until we complete expansion plans in time for 2022, we wanted to ensure the experience for cruise passengers matches that of those entering through HIA We look forward to offering them a warm welcome and a truly Qatari experience,” HE al-Baker said.

He said this will be the first season in which Doha acts as a turnaround port for cruise ships, with passengers beginning and ending their journey in Qatar.

Doha Port will host 16 turnaround calls, giving passengers ample time to explore the destination. In addition, nine ships will dock overnight during the season.

“The process of helping hundreds of passengers fly in, start their cruises around the Arabian Gulf, and fly home from Doha is made possible by great co-ordination between the tourism, aviation and hospitality sectors, as well as immigration and customs officials,” HE al-Baker said.

“Thanks to the continued collaboration between QNTC and our partners, Doha’s emergence as a turnaround port for international cruises will bring greater economic benefit as passengers spend more time in the country, and learn more about our offering as a destination,” he noted.

According to QNTC, Mein Schiff 5 is the first of 74 ships expected this season, which equates to a 66% increase in the number of ships compared to the last season.

Cruise passengers transiting through Doha Port’s new temporary terminal will experience the same level of services and facilities as HIA, including seamless immigration and customs, foreign exchange, taxi and bus stands, Duty Free Shops, café, waiting areas for cruise passengers and staff, as well as city tours and other tourist information services.

As a result of various initiatives by QNTC and its partners, Qatar’s cruise industry witnessed significant growth in the last few years.

The 2018/19 season achieved 121% growth in the number of cruise passengers and 100% increase in the number of cruise ships, with more than 140,000 passengers arriving aboard 44 ships. These include 38 mega ships, which usually carry between 3,000 and 4,000 passengers and crew.

QNTC noted that the previous season also recorded significant increase in the number of German (144%), Italian (93%) and British (22.5%) tourists arriving aboard cruise ships compared to the 2017/18 season. It also included Russian tourists, whose numbers grew substantially by 257% in Qatar as a cruise destination compared to the previous season, making them the fourth largest nationality.

Americans and Mexicans made it to the top 10 nationalities aboard these cruise ships.

QNTC stressed that the 2019/2020 season is expected to be bigger with over 186,000 passengers and over 61,000 crew arriving on 74 ships.



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