Doha Port, Qatar's gateway to marine tourism, is expecting as many as 58 cruises during the 2022/23 season, which according to Mwani Qatar, is one of the busiest seasons.
The cruise season, which runs until the end of April 2023, is seen to benefit domestic tourism and its allied sectors. This the first season after Qatar successfully hosted the FIFA World Cup, which concluded on December 18, 2022.
"In total 58 cruises are scheduled to call Doha Port in the new 2022/23 cruise season. Six cruise liners will make their maiden calls to Qatar during the season which will continue until April 2023," Mwani Qatar said in a tweet.
Cruise ship Le Bougainville docked at Doha Port on December 25 to signal the start of the 2022/23 cruise season. Managed by the French company Ponant Cruises, the first ship of the season is 131m long and 18m wide, and can accommodate 294 people, including crew members.
One more cruise ship MSC World Europa is expected to dock at Doha Port on December 29. As many as 19 cruises are expected in January 2023, 20 cruises in February, 13 cruises in March and three in April.
In line with the country's plans to enhance Qatar's position as an attractive tourist destination, Doha Port is in the midst of a comprehensive redevelopment process.
Doha Port – which is being transformed into a hub for cruise ships, giant cruise lines, and luxury yachts -- boosts efforts to transform Qatar into an attractive regional tourist destination serving global cruise ships.
It is situated in the heart of Doha Corniche, with close connectivity to the city’s most prominent tourist attractions such as Souq Waqif, Museums, Msheireb Downtown Doha and stadiums, making it a direct gateway not only to the vibrant heart of the capital but also to a unique set of cultural and entertainment destinations.
The Doha Port Redevelopment Project, carried out by the Ministry of Transport to the port’s basin and quay, has contributed to boosting its capacity for receiving the world’s largest cruise ships as it had received three supersize floating hotels during World Cup.
"The cruise industry sector has become an important tributary of the national economy and a mainstay of the tourism industry in the country. This is evidenced by the strong numbers that were achieved during the past years before the outbreak of the pandemic, " Hussain Ahmad al-Maqeef, Mwani Qatar’s executive vice president, commercial, had said.
Tawfeeq Travel Group chief executive Rehan Ali Syed had earlier told Gulf Times the cruise season is expected to create a series of benefits to domestic tourism in Qatar.
"The start of the cruise season will definitely be a booster for the tourism in the country. Some of the major shore excursions enjoyed by the travelers are desert safari, museum visits, and trips to the shopping malls," according to him.
In August 2021, Qatar Tourism had entered into partnership with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) UK and Ireland to promote the destination in the region and with CLIA’s wider community of cruise lines, travel agents and stakeholders.
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