'Other countries in region to benefit from Qatar's growing tourism stature'

The growing popularity of Qatar as a favoured leisure and family destination is expected to benefit the region as it raises the interest of travellers from different regions to also explore other GCC countries, according to industry experts.Avens Travel & Tours, Doha managing director Naser Karukapadath told Gulf Times that from Qatar, many travellers from different regions such as Asia and Europe can opt to visit Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait, among other destinations in the Middle East.He lauded the efforts of Qatar Tourism in making it easier for international visitors to enter the country, saying such a move will positively impact not only Qatar and the region’s tourism industry but other sectors as well, including retail and hospitality."The new Hayya platform is very attractive, it is expected to attract many visitors from all networks, especially from GCC countries – both citizens and residents – and we will also see visitors from Asian countries such as India, Pakistan and the Philippines,” Karukapadath added.The Hayya platform, according to Visit Qatar, aims to welcome visitors from different countries via a seamless entry process such as using e-gate facilities at the airport and fast lane at the border for those travelling by car. It is learnt that the Eid al-Fitr celebration in Qatar witnessed a surge in the number of visitors coming to the country, especially by car."The opening of land borders has seen a big jump in cars from all the GCC states entering Qatar, The Abu Samra border has been experiencing extremely busy times,” Tawfeeq Travel Group CEO Rehan Ali Syed told Gulf Times.He noted that an increasing number of people are keen on visiting Qatar post-FIFA World Cup 2022 and free entry through the Hayya Card has made it much easier for everyone to visit the country. "It is clear that with restrictions relaxed on visits, it has set the tone right for everyone to explore Qatar,” Syed said.Citing an example, he stressed that "the Eid celebration in Qatar has been phenomenal, as the fireworks shows and loads of events across the city have been quite welcoming.""There has been a surge in numbers with all the resorts, hotels running at very high occupancy.”Syed added that travel agencies with destination management facilities did well to promote various experiences in Qatar such as desert safaris, beach camps, shopping trips, kayaking in the mangroves, Baladna Park as well as visits to stadiums, apart from Souq Waqif and other hugely popular destinations.He stressed that the World Cup benefited the entire region as many passengers got to experience Gulf hospitality by staying in different countries and shuttling to Qatar. Moreover, they were pleasantly surprised to see the high level of safety across the entire region, and were also impressed by the quality of facilities available in the region."They look forward to exploring the region more," he said. "We are seeing surge in the number of queries from passengers on long transit, keen on experiencing Qatar."