Travel and tour companies in Qatar have seen FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 bookings and requests increase recently as the country prepares to welcome around 1.5 million fans for the first tournament of this status to be hosted in the Arab world.
With around four months to the World Cup, operators in the industry have also seen business opportunities to partner with regional companies grow.
Speaking to The Peninsula, Mosaad Moustafa Eleiwa, Founder and Managing Director of Outingqatar, said, “Recently, I got emails and calls from so many people, and they have booked via our website. We get inquiries and bookings from Brazil, the US and Europe — we connect with them and explain to them the process. These fans want to book luxury cars, hotels, yacht trips, helicopter rides, and Safari experiences. Many of them are willing to pay from now, for the full package.”
“There are some agencies in Doha that work with the Brazilian and Argentine nationalities. They provide their clients for us to provide them with an optimal experience. Currently, we are getting a lot of inquiries and even some calls for business opportunities. Some companies from other countries and the region like Dubai have approached us for collaboration during World Cup,” he added.
Eleiwa noted that the influx of citizens and residents from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has also increased and expects more people, especially from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
“I believe we will start getting more patronage from the GCC than before. Even now, we have a lot of customers from GCC countries; you can see even their cars in the streets. We get a lot of calls from Kuwait for services like helicopter rides, yacht trips, luxury cars, and super sports cars. Before, we dealt with more residents; now it’s good for the business to get more calls from non-locals or residents.”
Eleiwa also stressed that the industry had seen a significant change in fortunes compared to the previous couple of years when the tourism industry hugely suffered due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“There is a change,” Eleiwa noted. “There is a change in calls, bookings, and business opportunities. It’s not 100 percent pre-pandemic levels yet, but we are almost there. There are a lot of signs and actual opportunities. What’s happening on the ground is much better than last year.”
Qatar has promised the readiness of accommodations for the World Cup, with several residential and hospitality facilities earmarked for completion before the tournament.
Cruise ships and desert camping are also among options for visitors to enjoy the Arabian experience.
Meanwhile, several tourist projects from a winter sun wonderland and beachfront resorts are among several eclectic attractions to launch before the end of the year.