RIYADH: Doha Port saw tourist arrivals surge by 166 percent in the 2022-2023 cruise season to hit a record high, according to Qatar Ports Management Co..
The organization, also known as Mwani Qatar, revealed 273,666 visitors arrived at the port aboard 55 cruise ships – with the latter figure representing a 62 percent rise compared to the 2021-2022 season.
The report added that 2022-2023 also witnessed 19,400 tourists embarking on trips starting from Doha, cementing the port’s role of encouraging cruise tourism in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030.
The new passenger terminal at Doha Port, with its strategic location close to some of Doha’s most popular attractions, accommodates up to 12,000 individuals per day.
The terminal is minutes away from tourist destinations such as the National Museum of Qatar, the Doha Corniche and Souq Waqif poses an advantage in bringing tourists closer to these attractions.
Qatar’s cruise sector has been strengthening the country’s position as a leading destination for cruise tourism and supporting the national economy by earning tourism revenue and encouraging more business and employment opportunities.
Mwani Qatar manages the country’s seaports and shipping terminals and aims to develop further into a regional shipping hub.
It plays a crucial role in diversifying the Qatari economy to ensure it is ready for a post-hydrocarbon future.
After 12 years of preparation to host the prestigious FIFA World Cup last year — 12 years that transformed the tiny, gas-rich Gulf nation of Qatar — the country is focusing on maintaining its momentum and boosting its tourism and cultural industries.
“The World Cup, to us, was a bonus on top of what we were already doing in the cultural realm,” Sheikha Reem Al-Thani, acting deputy CEO of exhibitions and marketing for Qatar Museums, told Arab News earlier this year, in March.
Much of Qatar’s tourism and cultural boom, says Al-Thani, is part of the Qatar National Vision 2030 strategy, which was formalized in July 2008.
The World Cup crowds may have left, but many ongoing projects signal further growth.
