Winter camping season to start on November 1

The winter camping season will start on November 1 in north and central Qatar while Khor Al Odaid and Sealine will mark the beginning of the season on December 20, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) has announced. Addressing a press conference on Thursday at the ministry’s headquarters, officials said the season will come to an end on April 1, 2023, in the south and north and on May 20 in Sealine and Khor Al Odaid. Salem Hussain al-Safran, assistant director of the Department of Natural Reserves at MoECC, said the ministry will provide the best-quality services for campers. “The Sealine and Khor Al Odaid areas are designated to hold heritage and entertainment events that will enthrall visitors during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 while highlighting the Qatari culture," he noted.Farhoud al-Hajri, director of Public Relations at the ministry, said registration for all beaches will be open from October 16 to 27 in three separate phases. Registration for the southern regions. Sealine and Khor Al Odaid will be open from October 16 to October 19 while registration will be available for the central region from October 20 to 23. Registration for spots in the northern region will be open from October 24 to 27. Registration can be done via the ministry’s official website or through the Oun application. The fees should be paid electronically within three days from the date of approval, and the applicant can cancel the request within 10 days from the date of paying the fees.The ministry has urged camp goers to preserve the environment and protect natural resources through the use of alternative and environmen-friendly energy, planting plants and trees, maintaining camping sites and adhering to the controls and conditions related to camping. These include adherence to the co-ordinates assigned to a camp and the distances between camps, farms and villages. The MoECC has also announced certain conditions, which state that the applicant must be a Qatari national. He must pay the permit and insurance fees within three days from the date of approval of the application electronically, otherwise the application will be considered cancelled. The applicant should not obtain more than one permit and must place the camp board in a visible place where it is easy for the ministry inspectors to view. He shall abide by the provisions of the relevant laws and ministerial decisions, in particular those related to the protection of the environment. Further, the applicant should start the camping procedures in co-ordination with a ministry inspector. The permit is personal and the camp shouldn’t be rented or given to anyone, and it is prohibited to use the camp for anything other than the authorised activity. General cleanliness must be maintained and the land or marine environment should not be harmed. Also, the camp must be inhabited and not neglected.Campers must stay away from government and service facilities and oil and gas pipelines with a distance of not less than 500m, or as the competent authority deems appropriate.