Category Archives: Govt

Qatar Tourism announces, the number of visitors by the end of October 2024 has reached a new high of 4 million, matching the total visitor count for 2023.  This year-to-date total represents a 26% increase in international visitors compared to the same period in 2023. This is a positive indication that we will reach even higher numbers by the end of 2024, especially with the kick-off of the winter season and the array of activities that has been planned for this period. GCC nationals make up 41.8% of visitors, with the remaining 58.2% from international markets. The top 10 visitor markets include Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Republic of India, United Kingdom, Kingdom of Bahrain, United States of America, State of Kuwait, Sultanate of Oman, Federal Republic of Germany, United Arab Emirates, and People’s Republic of China. To date, 56.2% of visitors arrived by air, 37.84% by land, and the remaining 5.96% by sea. Additionally, Qatar’s hospitality sector has grown significantly, surpassing 40,053 hotel keys (as of September 2024) as part of Qatar’s enhanced tourism infrastructure.  

Qatar Tourism has launched its new cruise season 2024/2025, with the arrival of the luxury cruise ship Resorts World One, which is expected to become the largest in the history of the industry, with 95 cruises, including 33 partial turnovers, 11 departure and return flights, and 4 flights arriving in Qatar for the first time. The luxury cruise ship Resorts World One has launched its first voyage to Qatar and is scheduled to make 23 scheduled visits, carrying 72,000 visitors. Qatar is expected to welcome more than 430,000 visitors from November 2024 to April 2025. During the season, renowned cruise ships such as Minechef 4, MSC Euribia, Aida Prima, Costa Esmeralda, Norwegian Sky and Celestial Journey will dock at Doha Port, reinforcing Qatar’s growing position as a leading global cruise tourism destination. Building on the success of theprevious cruise season 2023/2024, during which Qatar welcomed 73 cruise ships and more than 347,000 visitors, the new season is expected to continue the pace of growth in the cruise sector with a new record performance. During the previous season, Doha Port welcomed world-renowned vessels such as MSC Vertusa , Seaborne Encore, Aida Prima, Artania, Minechef 2, Azamara Journey and MS Rivera. and MS Hamburg and Norwegian Down. H.E. Saad bin Ali Al Kharji, President of Qatar Tourism, said: “Stimulating the growth of Qatar’s cruise sector is a key component of our National Tourism Strategy 2030, and the 2024/2025 cruise season is expected to see a 30% increase in the total number of vessels, as well as a 24.5% increase in the total number of visitors compared to the previous season, reflecting the growing demand for cruises in the region. With new partnerships …

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) has successfully concluded its participation in the 43rd World Travel Market (WTM) in London. The three-day event, which attracted thousands of professionals from the global travel and tourism industry, helped SCTDA to reinforce Sharjah’s position as a rapidly growing destination for international tourists. WTM 2024 provided SCTDA with a prime platform to highlight its diverse and rich tourism offerings to a diverse audience of industry professionals, particularly those from Europe, which represents a significant and growing tourism market for Sharjah. His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, highlighted the strategic importance of the EU market to Sharjah’s tourism ambitions. “With almost 350,000 European tourists visiting Sharjah this year, which accounts for 7% increase from last year this shows that the Europe continues to be a vital market for us. We anticipate even stronger growth by the end of 2024, driven by our active engagement in platforms such as WTM.” At a well-attended press conference held at WTM on November 7, SCTDA unveiled significant advancements in the emirate’s tourism infrastructure alongside new hospitality projects that promise to enhance Sharjah’s appeal as a destination of choice for cultural, leisure, and adventure tourism. Key highlights included the Sharjah Safari, the largest safari park outside Africa, and the Moon Retreat, an innovative desert glamping experience, which offers a new concept and style of accommodation experiences amidst nature. “Sharjah Tourism” will also highlight the natural and topographical diversity that characterizes Sharjah’s tourism product, ranging from cultural, leisure, environmental, and beach experiences to adventures, alongside hotel accommodation experiences. These projects underscore the emirate’s commitment to expanding its offerings and products in the fields of eco and adventure …

Qatar Tourism has announced the update of the instructions governing the maritime tourism transport activity, including the licensing of marine tourism transport offices and marine tourism transport in all its categories (A, B and C). In line with international best practices, Qatar Tourism has issued a new classification guide for owners and operators of marine tourism transport, specifying the technical requirements and specifications that must be met by these means that comply with the Tourism Regulation Law No. (20) of 2018. According to these updates, Qatar Tourism confirms that any Class A boat that does not meet the classification requirements and criteria referred to in the Classification Guide No. 1.1 of 2024 will not be allowed to operate, be present or dock in the Doha Corniche area. Categories of tourist transportation include: 1. Class A – includes boats used for short trips only, operating within the Corniche area. 2. Class B – includes boats used for long journeys, operating outside the Corniche area. 3. Class C – includes boats used for long trips that provide accommodation and meals (premium and luxury boats such as yachts). Individuals can operate Category A only while Categories B and C are operated only by licensed tourist offices. Managers of maritime tourism transport offices, boat owners and operators are required to ensure compliance with the new instructions within the allocated time frame as of 25/8/2024, and the means of transport have been given 3 months from the date of issuance of these instructions to abide by them. Qatar Tourism regulates and develops the tourism industry, promotes private sector investment and sets the strategic direction of the sector. Mr. Fahad Hassan Al-Abdulmalik, Director of Tourism Licensing …

Qatar Tourism, through the Service Excellence Academy, has launched a new training program titled ‘Qatar Ambassadors: The Road to Excellence’, which is being implemented in collaboration with the Police Officers Institute of the Ministry of Interior, with the aim of improving the visitor experience at all entry and exit ports by developing the skills and knowledge of port and passport officers. The first-of-its-kind training program lasted for three days and concluded with the handing over of 20 graduates certificates of completion on October 22 at the Civil Defense Officers Club. During the program, the important role of passport officers as “ambassadors of Qatar” who make first and last impressions that often last for visitors was recalled. Interns gain the experience and skills to deliver exceptional services and seamless experiences for all passengers. The program aims to enable officers to deal with diverse situations with professionalism, empathy and care, by enhancing their effective communication skills, emotional intelligence and cultural sensitivity. The program includes five modules: the role of migration in the travel experience, mastering effective communication skills, striving for excellence, emotional intelligence, and Qatar ambassadors. Commenting on the training programme, Mr. Omar Al Jaber, Acting Head of Tourism Development, said: “The Qatar Ambassadors: The Road to Excellence programme is a joint effort and collaboration between Qatar Tourism’s Academy of Service Excellence and the Police Officers Institute to provide training for frontline workers dealing face-to-face with visitors to Qatar, as the first to receive visitors upon arrival in Qatar. The role they play in representing Qatar is vital to maintaining the mental image of our country in front of visitors. At Qatar Tourism, we are committed to achieving the highest standards of …

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICA) showcased  6 innovative projects that reflect the authority’s leadership in the field of digital transformation and employing the latest technologies to develop the smart services system to meet the aspirations of customers and their current and future needs at the recently concluded GITEX Global event in Dubai. The list of projects that DEWA is participating in during the current edition of the exhibition includes 6 diverse projects, namely the Wired Your ID project, the Emirates Express Corridor, Smart Travel, Institutional Connectivity Services, Bureaucracy Zeroing Platform, and Digital Certification via Face Print. His Excellency Major General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, Director General of the Authority, stressed that  the Authority’s participation during the current session of the exhibition is characterized by the diversity of its displayed projects, the quality and leadership of the innovative ideas it contains, and its continuous endeavor to delight the beneficiary customers, in addition to that it reflects the Authority’s constant keenness and clear vision to develop the service system according to the pulse of the customer, foresee the future, predict developments and prepare for them by creating development projects that contribute to supporting the security of society and make its members happy by providing flexible proactive services that support security. Controlling border crossings enhances the economic growth of the state and attracts entrepreneurs and those with talent and experience. His Excellency added that DEWA’s participation reflects the advanced level achieved by DEWA in the field of digital transformation and the development of the smart services system that is provided to customers, community members and those wishing to visit the country, work, invest and live in it, as …

Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) will once again bring a strong presence to two major shows this month in Dubai – GITEX Global 2024 and Expand North Star – highlighting the innovation in the services it offers to enhance ease of doing business, and the innovative companies that are setting up in Dubai and using the city as a launchpad for global growth. DET’s participation in the events is aligned with the ambitious goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, to double the size of Dubai’s economy by 2033 and to further consolidate Dubai’s position as a leading global city for business and leisure. At GITEX Global, taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai Business Registration and Licensing Corporation (DBLC), part of DET, will introduce cutting-edge solutions designed to streamline the investor journey to further improve the ease of doing business in Dubai, a key driver in attracting foreign direct investment and top talent. These initiatives will further strengthen the emirate’s global status as a leading destination for innovation and investment. As part of its participation, DBLC will also honour various partners who have contributed to the success of its initiatives over the past year. Meanwhile, across the city in Dubai Harbour, the Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Dubai SME), another entity within DET, will showcase the businesses and services of five of its members, including Transcend Technologies, Jadwelny Portal, Sadeem Energy, Elmadrasah.com and Insurina, as well as its incubation partner Intelak. The participating Dubai SME members represent several sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI) in tourism, energy IoT, EdTech, insurance marketplace and cybersecurity. The Hamdan Innovation Incubator (Hi2), an initiative by …

Visit Qatar hosted a workshop for its local MICE industry partners with 70 representatives of hospitality, destination management companies, hotels and event halls, to discuss ways to collaborate in attracting business events to Qatar.  The workshop aimed to provide participants with the essential tools and insights to effectively position Qatar as a key destination for business events, enhance their bidding strategies for international gatherings, as well as educate international MICE investors about the diverse assets of events in Qatar. The workshop was attended by more than  Attendees also gained valuable insights into the key characteristics of the exhibition and conference markets in China, India and Russia and guidelines for delivering a successful work and a compelling presentation. The workshop programme included panel discussions featuring dignitaries from Qatar’s meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) industry, as well as bilateral meetings with industry investors. Visit Qatar’s strategy emphasizes that the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector is a priority pillar in driving growth in the country’s tourism sector. By increasing the number of business events, Qatar aims to strengthen its position as a leading global hub for the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions industry. Thanks to its advanced infrastructure, business-friendly ecosystem and state-of-the-art venues, Qatar has cemented its position as a preferred destination for the MICE sector for its ability to host world-class events.

Onur Saylan – Consul General – Consulate General of Turkiye in Dubai, speaking with TravelTV Middle East shared that they are looking at easing the visa processes for the expats living in the UAE such as Indians, Pakistanis and Filipinos etc.by the end of the year. He reiterated the importance of promoting destinations which are the hidden gems of Turkiye which will be their focus in the upcoming months. “We work with tourists from UAE to provide alternative programs and placements. If we think of Turkiye, they immediately think of Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa, Trabzon and Cappadocia. It is true that these are some of the most beautiful cities in the world, not only in Turkiye, but there is more in Turkiye. Due to the current situation around Turkiye, there are more strict processes, but we are looking at coming up with easier visa process for expat groups living in UAE, such as Indian, Pakistani and the Philippines. We will establish many new methods to ease this process.  I think by the end of this year, we will find new alternative processes for visa issuance in the UAE.”

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT) launched the Arabic language version of the ‘Experience Abu Dhabi Experts’ e-learning platform, a tool designed to actively support partners in the travel ecosystem, including travel agents and tour operators. The platform equips travel professionals across the Gulf with the knowledge needed to showcase Abu Dhabi’s rich cultural heritage, iconic landmarks and attractions and diverse accommodation options to their clients. Specialised content across nine modules covers various facets of Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector, allowing participants to create more attractive and customised tourism products. Upon completion of the programme, participants will receive a certificate officially recognising them as ‘Experience Abu Dhabi Experts’, bolstering their credibility within the industry and providing them with the knowledge to craft personalised travel itineraries for the destination. Abdulla Yousuf, International Operations Director at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “We are committed to empowering our travel partners across the region by providing them with the necessary tools and knowledge to effectively showcase Abu Dhabi as an ideal destination for all types of visitors. By engaging directly with our partners, we collectively contribute to Abu Dhabi’s compelling growth story and ensure it remains a top choice for travellers seeking unique and enriching experiences.” The module is currently available in Arabic, English, Mandarin, German, Italian, Russian, French and Hindi and will be expanded to 13 languages, making it accessible to the global travel trade. Travel professionals can register for free at experienceabudhabiexperts.com and access the training content anytime, anywhere through mobile devices, tablets, or desktops, flexibly arranging their time and enjoying a convenient online learning experience. Domestic travel is expected to represent the bulk of the travel market in 2024, and …