Qatar Airways partners with Madrid Tourism Board

The partnership with Madrid Destino, signed on November 25 this year, is set to run March 31, 2022, promoting the destination to key markets across the globe through a series of joint initiatives.The Spanish capital has emerged as a new international luxury destination following it being designated a Unesco World Heritage Site and having recently opened an array of luxury hotel brands, undertaking remodelling works for sites including the Plaza de España, as well as several other key developments.Madrid is also recognised as Europe’s Best Convention and Trade destination, garnering the Best MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) Destination for 2021 as part of the internationally acclaimed World Travel Awards.In a press statement, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive HE Akbar al-Baker, said: “We invite everyone to experience Madrid’s lively city that makes one passionate about travelling again. The Spanish city is famous for its rich and varied heritage, as well as its world-class crafts and artisans”.Madrid City Council’s tourism director Héctor Coronel said: “The signing of this agreement not only marks a milestone in our relations with Qatar Airways, which has been operating in Madrid since 2005, it also enables us to strengthen our tourism relations with the Middle East, one of our main strategic markets. “The connectivity campaign that Madrid City Council’s Tourism Department and the Qatari airline are running in Qatar and the UAE is aimed at a segment that has a significant economic impact on Madrid. This joint initiative will enable us to promote the city’s outstanding tourist resources and new openings with a view to encouraging visitors with high purchasing power to travel to the city of Madrid”.Qatar Airways operates 14 weekly flights to Madrid. The airline has recently launched its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner passenger aircraft, featuring its eagerly awaited new Business Class Suite on a number of key routes to Europe including Madrid. The ultramodern aircraft has a total passenger capacity of 311 seats - 30 Business Class Suites and 281 seats in Economy Class.The national carrier of Qatar continues to rebuild its network, which currently stands at more than 140 destinations. With more frequencies being added to key hubs, Qatar Airways offers unrivalled connectivity to passengers, making it easy for them to connect to a destination of their choice, seamlessly.A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was announced as the ‘Airline of the Year’ by the international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax, in addition to securing five additional awards including World’s Best Business Class, World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge, World’s Best Business Class Airline Seat, World’s Best Business Class Onboard Catering and Best Airline in the Middle East. The airline continues to stand alone at the top of the industry having won the main prize for an unprecedented sixth time (2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021). The airline’s hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA), was also recently recognised as the ‘Best Airport in the World 2021’, ranking at number one in the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2021.