Tourism Breaking News
Qatar Tourism revealed that the country welcomed 253,191 cruise visitors during the 2022/2023 cruise season (December 2022 – April 2023), representing an increase of 151% compared to the same period last season (100,500 visitors). Qatar continues to strengthen its position as a global tourism destination supported by a variety of leading tourist attractions and a range of exciting festivals and events. This significant growth in total visitors is particularly significant given that this year’s cruise season started later than usual (i.e. in December instead of October), as Doha Port welcomes floating hotels to accommodate visitors and fans coming to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 ™™.
Of the cruise ship visitors received this season, 20 per cent were part of the partial transformation flights from which Doha was the starting and returning point, an increase of 790 per cent compared to the 4,172 passengers who came on these cruises during the previous season. Qatar also received 54 cruise visits during the 2022/2023 cruise season, whether transit or round trip, representing an increase of 59% compared to last year.
Qatar’s cruise sector has shown great resilience and remarkable growth, and despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Qatar has seen a steady increase in the total number of cruise ships received and the number of visitors on board, and the cruise sector promises further growth in the coming seasons.
Qatar’s growing cruise sector has become a key pillar of the country’s efforts to achieve the objectives of its long-term tourism strategy, as evidenced by the comprehensive refurbishment of Doha Port, which can now receive two superships at a time and up to 12,000 visitors per day arriving on cruises.
Commenting on the figures, Maryam Saud, Head of Tourism Product Support at Qatar Tourism, said: “These figures are testament to the great efforts made by all stakeholders in rebuilding the sector and supporting its recovery from the effects of the global pandemic, which included attracting operators of leading international cruise ships for the first time to Doha and introducing new cruise routes with Doha as the departure and return point. Doha Port’s vital location in the heart of the city allows hundreds of thousands of visitors to quickly explore attractions such as Al Mina District, Museum of Islamic Art, Souq Waqif, National Museum of Qatar, Msheireb and Doha Corniche and more.”
This season attracted visitors from Germany (31%), Italy (10%), Russia (6%) and the UK (3%). Thanks to the expansion and development of Doha Port, Qatar was able to achieve a 100% percentage growth in the number of mega vessels received by the port (44 ships received this season compared to 22 in the previous season), with MSC World Europe carrying the largest number of visitors (with 13 voyages).
The next cruise season 2023/2024 is scheduled to kick off on 8 October 2023, with cruise visitors arriving in Qatar via Doha Port welcomed into the new passenger terminal building equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. Upon leaving the terminal, visitors find themselves close to Al Mina District, which has become a one-stop destination where visitors can enjoy a variety of dining options, shopping outlets and strolling through the area facing Doha’s iconic skyline.
