'Qatar offers unique experiences for travellers'

The post coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic period provides an opportunity to attract more visitors from different countries, especially those who are looking for unique experiences, according to Qatar Tourism (QT)."We see a rebound specifically coming out of the Indian subcontinent, and we are hoping that China will open up and allow their nationals to travel,” chief operating officer Berthold Trenkel said at a press briefing Sunday at the Host Country Media Centre at Msheireb Downtown Doha, highlighting some of Qatar’s best tourism spots and experiences for fans during the ongoing FIFA World Cup.While most visitors to Qatar come from Saudi Arabia and Oman, he noted that the other major sources include the UK, Germany, Italy and India.A big percentage of stopover traffic comes from American and Australian travellers, according to Trenkel."I think Qatar is a great destination for the right people, and when it comes to tourism, every country is trying to position itself and has a different market, and we have particular spots where we think were extremely attractive and appealing for those people,” he said, adding that Qatar is a great place for people (who are) interested in the Islamic world.Trenkel noted that besides having a modern city with modern infrastructure, Qatar has plenty of healthcare and educational facilities, and is one of the most developed countries in the Middle East.He also underlined the key role that Qatar Airways play in boosting the country’s tourism sector even beyond the prestigious tournament."Qatar has something very powerful – Qatar Airways – one of the biggest international carriers in the world connecting the East and the West,” he said.QT vice-president for marketing and events Brett Stephenson shared the same view, saying that many people – post-pandemic – are looking for new and curated experiences."We believe that our premium family travel audience will embrace that and are looking for something different,” he said. "We have the infrastructure now, the facilities, the beach resorts, and all of that, beyond the natural beauty of Qatar.”Besides these offerings, Qatar has been ranked the safest country in the world by Numbeo from 2020 to 2022 in terms of crime and general safety, while Doha placed second as the safest city in Numbeo’s Crime Index by City in 2022.