qatar
41
making it an ideal stopover. Top-notch hotels: Almost all Qatar’s hotels are relatively new and four- or
fi ve-star. Many are iconic designs. Fab food: Most of Qatar’s population isn’t Qatari, so expect global cuisine. Big
names include Gordon Ramsay and Nobu. State-of-the-art airport: Hamad International operates far short of capacity,
so expect all mod cons and few crowds. Culture: If Dubai is bling, Qatar is more cerebral, with at least four major museums
under construction. Meanwhile, the Museum of Islamic Art dazzles by itself. Easy to get around: The capital – in fact the whole country – is small and taxis
are cheap.
Desert fun: Plummeting down huge sand dunes in a 4x4, a short drive from
Doha is a must.
The Pearl: Dubai doesn’t have the monopoly on man-made islands and
Qatar’s The Pearl is the place for designer shops and high-end restaurants. Go to the races: Camel racing, featuring robot jockeys on the track
outside Doha, is a quirky and exciting evening out. Boys’ toys: The Sheikh Faisal Museum in the desert near Doha houses an
extensive vintage car collection plus reconstructed houses and the world’s smallest Koran.
What’s new Air: Qatar Airways (
qatarairways.com) increased its Edinburgh-Doha fl ight to daily on May
1, having launched last November. Accommodation: Anantara (anantara.
com) is claiming a Middle East fi rst with 11 over-water villas at its new Banana Island Resort, 20 minutes by ferry from Doha. It features an Anantara Signature Spa, its fi rst Wellness Centre in the Middle East. Melia (
melia.com) has opened in Doha’s West
Bay and the Mondrian Doha (Morganshotelgroup. com) joins it there later in 2015. Kempinski Hotels ((
Kempinski.com) opened Marsa Malaz Kempinski, a private island
development on The Pearl, in February. Other developments: Qatar will spend some $20 billion on infrastructure by 2022, including the new Doha Metro and a number of extensive hotel projects. Two urban developments, Musheireb and Lusail City, will add a range of accommodation, retail and entertainment options. Next year (2016) sees the opening of the new National Museum of Qatar (
Qm.org.qa) which has been designed by French architect Jean Nouvel.
“Doha isn’t Dubai. If clients are curious about the emerging Gulf countries and want a more manageable, brief glimpse of Arab wealth, culture and
architecture, Qatar is the place” GARY NOAKES, TRAVEL WRITER
partnerships and organising familiarisation trips. “Increased marketing investment in the UK in 2014 raised consumer awareness of our cultural strengths and luxury offerings. This, combined with the increase in tour operators featuring Qatar and improved agent knowledge, puts us in a strong position for 2015 and beyond.” Rashed Al-Qurese, Qatar Tourism Authority Marketing Director
Tourism talk “International arrivals in the fi rst quarter were up 5% on the same period in 2014. The UK ranks as Qatar’s largest European
source market and British tourist numbers are continuing to grow steadily, with 135,457 arrivals in 2014. Our target is 151,000 by 2018. Leisure arrivals for 2014 were up 45% year-on-year, with Qatar establishing an excellent positioning in the British market. The number of UK tour operators featuring Qatar has increased from 17 in
Previous page: the Doha skyline through The Arche. This page: images of ancient and modern Qatar
2012 to 41 going into 2015. “In terms of trade activity, we continue to raise awareness of the Tawash online training programme to educate frontline sales staff (tawashqatar. com). We are further launching strategic tour operator and media
sellingtravel.co.uk
Where to book it
LOWCOSTHOLIDAYS.COM - 020 3384 1200
The budget operator has three nights at the Hilton Doha from £1,074, departing mid- May. It includes Turkish Airlines fl ights from
Manchester via Istanbul.
Lowcostholidays.com ABERCROMBIE & KENT - 01242 850 691 Qatar Airways fl ights, three nights at Sharq Village & Spa, private transfers and a day private tour
of Doha is from £1,325pp.
abercrombiekent.co.uk TAUCK - 0800 810 8020 A 12-day Dubai & The Arabian Peninsula tour is from £4,695pp, beginning in Qatar. Included is a tour to Doha’s Al Shaqab Equestrian Centre, a dhow cruise, seaplane tour and most meals but not
international fl ights.
tauck.co.uk SEABOURN CRUISES 0843 373 2000 The 18-day Holy Land & Arabian Gems itinerary begins at Piraeus on October 31. From £3,699pp double occupancy.
seabourn.com
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