Qatar Tourism and Mwani Qatar announced the return of cruise tourism in the country with the start of the 2021/2022 season and the arrival of MSC Virtuosa, which made its first voyage to Qatar on Thursday, 2 December, with around 4,600 visitors.
The return of cruise tourism comes as Qatar resumes holding in-person events and festivals. The winter season is particularly busy, with the line-up of events including the FIFA Arab Cup™, Qatar International Food Festival 2021, Qatar Live, and the Light and Laser show on the Corniche.
Qatar Tourism Chairman and Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive HE Akbar Al Baker said the return of the country’s cruise tourism is a testament to the tremendous efforts of all partners and helps put Qatar firmly back on the path of travel recovery. He said that cruise is an important subsector of tourism, allowing large numbers of visitors to discover Doha and its offerings within a short period, turning them into ambassadors of the destination and contributing to increased tourism spend.
The current cruise season is expected to be the busiest, with the arrival of around 78 cruises. This includes 11 cruise ships making maiden voyages to Doha, 11 turnaround voyages and 10 ships that will dock in Doha Port.
With the opening of the permanent passenger terminal at Doha Port, we expect to witness a growth in cruise visits in the coming period, particularly in the lead up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.
He said that they are working tirelessly with partners to ensure that safety protocols are being implemented, in line with the strict guidelines issued by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH). According to HE Al Baker, the safety of the community and visitors is paramount, and the protocols will also be applied to passengers and crew members on all cruise ships.
Cruise tourism came to a halt with the pandemic by end of February 2020. To assuage concerns, MoPH has put in place special protocols for travellers arriving in or from Qatar on cruise ships.
The cruise season 2019/20 witnessed the opening of the temporary passenger terminal spanning an area of 6,000 square metres. Doha Port has also completed development works that contribute to promoting the growth of cruise tourism, supporting Qatar Tourism’s efforts to attract international cruise ships and companies, and strengthening Qatar’s position on the cruise destinations map in the region.
Mwani Qatar CEO Captain Abdulla Mohamed Al-Khanji said they are pleased with the successful restart of activities at Doha Port after a 19-month absence due to COVID-19.
Health and safety procedures are put in place in coordination with stakeholders to ensure the safety of the community and to secure an enjoyable and safe travel experience for tourists, starting from the moment the cruise ships arrive until they leave the quayside.
Captain Al-Khanji added that Qatar’s popularity as an attractive tourist destination in the region is increasing year after year, as the number of cruises and passengers has increased by more than six times in less than five seasons.
Doha Port redevelopment, which is nearing completion, will establish a pioneering infrastructure in the cruise ship sector that contributes to providing high-quality services in line with the highest international standards, thus consolidating Qatar’s position as a preferred destination for cruise travellers in the region.
Boosting the country’s tourism
Qatar Tourism recently partnered with CLIA UK & Ireland – a division of CLIA-Cruise Lines International Association – to boost Qatar’s tourism sector via CLIA’s community of cruise companies, stakeholders and travel agents. It also recently launched its international promotional campaign, Experience a World Beyond, to enhance more visitors to Qatar.
The cruise tourism sector has achieved continuous and remarkable growth in the years prior to the pandemic, with collaboration among public and private sector partners. The 2019/2020 cruise season witnessed the arrival of 207,000 visitors, while the 2018/2019 season achieved 121% growth in the number of cruises passengers.
Health Protocols
All travellers who wish to disembark from cruise ships, including crew members and children over four years old, must undergo a rapid antigen test at the passenger terminal, to make sure they test negative for COVID-19. As entry policies dictate, all passengers must also download the Ehteraz app on their mobiles and register before arrival. Pre-registration on the Ehteraz website is also required for all passengers, and those who wish to have a free tour must download the app before disembarking from the ship.
Cruise visitors are divided into three categories:
- The first category includes visitors whose cruise departs from Qatar. These passengers fly into Hamad International Airport (HIA) and will be subject to MoPH’s regular travel policy.
- The second category includes visitors whose cruise ends in Qatar. These passengers will leave through HIA.
- The third category is transit visitors or one-day visitors, and these categories will be subject to cruise protocol, including the COVID-19 bubble system and the Bubble excursion.
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