Campaigns on Ctrip to boost on-the-ground efforts to help Chinese trade and travellers learn more about Qatar’s tourism offering
Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) signed an agreement with Ctrip on the sidelines of the 14th China Outbound Travel & Tourism Market (COTTM) in Beijing. The agreement with China’s largest outbound tourism reservation platform is set to boost QTA’s on-the-ground efforts to promote and market Qatar as an attractive tourism destination for Chinese tourist and travel trade.
Rashed Al Qurese, Chief Marketing and Promotion Officer at QTA said that their cooperation with Ctrip will complement their various promotional activities aimed at attracting more Chinese visitors to Qatar. Ctrip, he said, will soon become a platform for Chinese visitors and industry partners to know more about Qatar.
The agreement aims to improve the Qatar destination brand recognition and increase Chinese tourists’ bookings and reservations in Qatar. It will see Ctrip launch various features to help Chinese tourists plan their visit to Qatar, including original materials about the destination’s authentic experiences. Qatar hotels, airlines and travel agencies will also be featured on the landing page of Ctrip. Users can view their Qatar ‘pocket books’ either through the Ctrip app on mobile phone or on a PC.
Qian Zhen, CEO of Destination Marketing at Ctrip said that they too, look forward to promoting the destination’s authentic tourism experiences to the ever-growing Chinese travellers, and deepening cooperation with Qatar.
Thanks to Qatar’s recent visa policy changes, Chinese citizens can now enter Qatar visa-free. The visa waiver is valid for 30 days from the date of issuance and entitles its holder to spend up to 30 days in Qatar, during either a single trip or on multiple trips. In addition, the five-star national carrier, Qatar Airways has 31 weekly direct flights connecting Doha to six key cities across mainland China. The first quarter of 2018 saw a 27% increase in Chinese visitor arrivals compared to the same period last year. Data also shows that China is Qatar’s fastest growing source market.
For more information and updates about QTA, visit their website at visitqatar.qa.