With a series of major events in sport, leisure, and entertainment to be hosted in the country, thousands are expected to visit Qatar this month, according to Qatar Airways Group chief executive and QNTC secretary-general HE Akbar al-Baker. Speaking to the media yesterday, al-Baker described December as “one of the most significant months in the Qatar calendar,” citing the ongoing 24th Arabian Gulf Cup Qatar 2019, which will run until December 8, and the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019 from December 11-21.
Qatar Airways has gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure thousands of football fans will be there to cheer on their teams and enjoy incredible entertainment during their stay in Doha, he said.
Larger aircraft will bring additional capacity on services from Kuwait and Oman for fans of the Arabian Gulf Cup, while special charters from Monterrey and Rio de Janeiro ensure supporters will not miss their team’s appearance at the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019, al-Baker continued. Coinciding with the month-long festival of football, al-Baker said Qatar Airways and Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) will kick off this week the ‘Qatar Live’, an entertainment extravaganza for visitors and residents in Doha for the winter season. The event is sponsored by Ooredoo as platinum partner.
From December 4, al-Baker said music concerts in the Qatar Live line-up of events will feature top talents from the Middle East performing at both Katara and Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC). A line-up of international DJs will headline the Daydream Festival on December 12 and 20 at the Ritz-Carlton, Doha, followed by international stars Katy Perry, Maroon 5, and Maluma between December 15 and 19. The schedule of all Qatar Live concerts is available at qatarairways.com/QatarLive.
“We look forward to welcoming visitors from across the globe to Qatar this month to enjoy world-class football, the best musical talent from the region, and more. Qatar Live is part of a wider strategy to expand Qatar’s calendar of events by leveraging the major sporting competitions that the country is proud to host. To celebrate this exciting blend of sport and music, Qatar Airways is offering fantastic travel packages for fans from Oman and Kuwait to fly to Doha to support their teams,” al-Baker said.
For visitors travelling from Kuwait and Oman, Qatar Airways is offering special fares on Economy and Business Class tickets, while Qatar Airways Holidays is offering special packages that will cover flights, hotels, and football and concert tickets when travelling to Qatar. In addition, stopover packages for passengers travelling from the rest of the world are available through Discover Qatar. More information about Qatar Airways offers and packages are available at qatarairways.com/QatarLive.
After Qatar Live, al-Baker also announced upcoming events in 2020, including Shop Qatar from January 7-31, Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition from February 24-29, Qatar International Food Festival from March 24 to April 2, and Doha Design Week March 18-28. This is in addition to the year-round activities on offer in Doha such as outdoor adventures, cultural attractions, and fine dining, he noted.
Responding to a question on the temporary terminal at the Doha Port, al-Baker said a new terminal will be “several storeys” and will be “at least four times larger than the current one.” “It will be able to sustain all the cruise requirements that ships will call upon Doha Port,” al-Baker said.