* Passengers will receive cancellation notification and are required to rebook their quarantine accommodation
* All customers will be refunded in full following cancellation
All existing hotel bookings, regardless of the country of origin, for Welcome Home quarantine packages will be cancelled from Thursday and anyone with a reservation will need to rebook, Discover Qatar has said.
"The State of Qatar has imposed new entry requirements for passengers arriving from six countries - Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka - with travellers from these countries needing to enter extended periods of mandatory quarantine of 10 days," Discover Qatar said in a press statement on Wednesday.
"As a result of these new and immediate requirements, Discover Qatar must, with regret, cancel all customers' existing hotel bookings, regardless of the country of origin, for Welcome Home quarantine accommodation from April 29 and anyone holding a booking will need to rebook," the statement noted.
All customers will be refunded in full following the cancellation and an email will be sent confirming this along with details of how they can rebook packages depending on their country of origin.
"Unfortunately, due to the additional demand for quarantine accommodation, it may not be possible for customers to rebook the same accommodation previously selected, as many hotels will be allocated to travellers arriving from the specific six countries," the statement continued.
Discover Qatar said it "greatly regrets the inconvenience this will cause to those customers who have already arranged for quarantine but it is necessary to comply with the new entry conditions to Qatar introduced by the government in response to the changing situation internationally".
Due to the short timescales of the restrictions and the number of bookings affected, it is not possible to contact everyone individually to make alternative arrangements and customers can make their new arrangements online.
Mandatory quarantine is a requirement for passengers from the six countries arriving in Qatar as their final destination and this is regardless of previous vaccination history or immunity against Covid-19. Maintaining public health and safety is the primary concern of Discover Qatar while also accommodating those who need to travel to the country, the statement adds.
The stringent hotel quarantine requirements continue to protect Qatar and its residents while relieving the burden on medical staff and facilities by safeguarding against any additional Covid-19 transmissions.
Further details of the quarantine requirements for arrivals into Qatar can be found on the links below.
* For the six countries: English - https://www.qatarairwaysholidays.com/qa-en/welcome-home-high-risk-arrivals/overview
Arabic - https://www.qatarairwaysholidays.com/qa-ar/welcome-home-high-risk-arrivals/overview
* For the rest of the world: English - https://www.qatarairwaysholidays.com/qa-en/welcome-home-7-night-booking/overview
Arabic - https://www.qatarairwaysholidays.com/qa-ar/welcome-home-7-night-booking/overview
Bookings start for quarantine packages for arrivals from six countries
Bookings for Welcome Home quarantine packages for people coming from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka have opened on the Discover Qatar website.
All passengers arriving on flights originating from or transiting via the six countries will be required to stay at one of a specified group of hotels, according to information available on the website.
The bookings are available until August 31, the website shows.
