GCC tourists flock to Qatar

Qatar has become a main tourist destination for a wide segment of the GCC citizens who prefer to spend their holidays and weekends in the country, especially during the winter, local Arabic daily Arrayah reported.As the temperature has started to drop considerably over the past few weeks, the country has started to see influx of GCC tourists, whether families or groups of young people who are keen to start with Souq Waqif, then visit some popular destinations such as Msheireb, Katara - Cultural Village, Old Doha Port, Lusail, The Pearl Island and the various venues of Expo 2023 Doha.Speaking to Arrayah, a number of those tourists stressed that they find in Qatar the much sought after privacy for families. Besides, the country is very easily accessible to them so that they can come and stay for short vacations of even a couple of days and enjoy many interesting sites conveniently. They also pointed out that Qatar has succeeded in maintaining a sophisticated tourist infrastructure while keeping its traditions and heritage alive. Besides, the country has a very effective transport system that has reduced potential traffic crowds to the minimum.Hassan al-Burasheed, from Bahrain, said it is his first time in Qatar, and he was amazed by the development and sophistication he saw across the country. He stressed that this has made him very proud of Qatar, as it is considered one of the best tourist destinations in the region.Omar Salim, from Oman, said that the country enjoys a high level of safety and security, making it a haven for family tourism. Besides, GCC families enjoy the privacy they highly value in Qatar. He noted that the organisation of Expo 2023 Doha is very successful and he was keen to accompany his family there.Saif al-Anzi, from Saudi Arabia, said that many Saudi tourists prefer to spend their weekends in Qatar and they keep coming again and again, as the country has excellent tourist facilities and offer the best services at competitive prices. Further, it is very easy to come to the country.