Middle East: Hit top gear in Qatar
If your clients crave lavish new hotels, adventure in the desert and shopping aplenty, Karl Cushing suggests spending an Arabian night or three in Qatar.
As I bounce around in the passenger seat like a jack-in-the-box, my chuckling driver Latif slams the steering wheel left and right like a man possessed, sliding out the side of his long-suffering Land Cruiser to hunt out the most perilous dunes to launch us up and down. I’ve done various jeep safaris before, but with Latif’s breakneck enthusiasm coupled with our eventual arrival at the Unesco World Heritage “Inland Sea” that overlooks Saudi Arabia, this one really adds a point of difference.
Being similar but different could be the slogan for Qatar. While the Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) is on a mission to emulate nearby Dubai by growing its international tourism market from just under three to seven million visitors by 2030, it’s doing so on its own terms.
The formula of hosting major international events such as the Fifa World Cup 2022 and building a plethora of luxurious hotels and world-class attractions may be familiar enough, but the focus here is firmly on cultural tourism.
UK visitors already account for 30% of all visitors from Europe, with 135,000 of us visiting in 2014. And the QTA aims to grow this figure further by working with the trade.
As Mr Rashed Al-Qurese, chief marketing and promotions officer at the QTA, notes that more than 350 UK agents have successfully completed its online destination training programme Tawash since its late 2014 launch, and as of last year some 45 UK operators now feature the destination.
“Whether it’s adrenaline-pumping “dune bashing” across the desert in a 4x4, discovering an authentic taste of traditional life and local architecture in the bustling alleys of the Souq Waqif or indulging in delicious local cuisine, Qatar offers endless opportunities for those seeking adventure within a diverse Arabic culture,” adds Al-Qurese.
What’s new?
Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl
New product is one major draw. Last year’s big openings included Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara, which has overwater villas, and the blingtastic, art-packed Kempinski Marsa Malaz on The Pearl, which features excellent F&B outlets and a Spa by Clarins. Other 2015 openings include Melia Doha, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Doha and the 272-guestroom Shangri-La Hotel Doha, with its Chi spa.
This year has already seen the opening of the Westin Doha Hotel & Spa, Starwood’s fourth property in Qatar, and Rotana’s City Centre Doha. The hotly anticipated Mondrian Doha is set to open this autumn and JW Marriott, Mandarin Oriental, Oberoi, Dusit International and Waldorf Astoria all have properties under development. Meanwhile, a major investment in its cruise port has attracted recent visits from Silversea and Seabourn, with MSC Fantasia to make the line’s first Qatar calls this winter.
Selling points include the year-round sun (but scorching June-August are best avoided) and the curiosity of sampling life in the world’s richest country (per capita GDP is around $100,000).
Another is accessibility. It’s a seven-hour direct flight from the UK with Qatar Airways, which added a Birmingham-Doha route to its network of Heathrow, Manchester and Edinburgh on March 30, 2016, and the airline’s extensive flight network out of Doha offers easy stopover and multi-centre options.
Main attractions
Qatar is pretty small and flat with most of the action focused on Doha, where activities include dhow and dinner cruises leaving from the Corniche, a four-mile pedestrianised waterfront that curves from the unmistakable pyramid-shaped Sheraton past the skyscrapers of West Bay. Doha also boasts a man-made island, the Pearl, awash with Mediterranean-style blocks, swanky eateries, luxury car dealerships and high-end boutiques. More affordable retail experiences can be had at Souq Waqif or malls such as City Centre, Aspire Zone’s Villagio and Mall of Qatar, opening in August.
Cultural highlights include Doha’s Museum of Modern Art and excellent Museum of Islamic Art, topped by an Alain Ducasse restaurant, with the National Museum of Qatar opening next year. For glimpses of Qatar’s past, try Souq Waqif; Msheireb Enrichment Centre; and Katara Cultural village, which offers dining, galleries and a beach. Like the Corniche, the Souq is a good place to stroll, see interesting shops and stalls and pause for lunch or dinner.
Family-friendly attractions include Aqua Park, Gondolania family entertainment centre at Villagio, Circus Land at Landmark and the hop-on, hop-off Doha Bus, while excellent spa and wellness options can be found amid its luxury hotel stock. Top picks include the Six Senses at Ritz Carlton’s Sharq Village and the Anantara Spa on Banana Island.
Qatar has oil reserves in excess of 25 billion barrels, enabling output at current levels for about 56 years
As Qatar’s public beaches are typically “family only”, with conservative dress rules, sun-worshippers are best off booking into Doha properties with private beaches such as Ritz-Carlton’s Sharq Village; Kempinski Marsa Malaz; the Four Seasons or adjacent Sheraton; or the Anantara. I liked the beach at the InterContinental — its excellent facilities are accessible on a dayclub basis and it’s a good bet for activities such as stand-up paddleboarding.
Local hotels are also the focus of the dining scene and nightlife. Popular nightspots include the Sky View Bar at La Cigale, Society Lounge at the Hilton, W’s Crystal nightclub and Nobu near the Four Seasons with its popular daily happy hours. For live performances, try the excellent Jazz at Lincoln Center at St Regis Doha and Katara Cultural Village, which hosts everything from music and opera to theatre.
Options worth considering outside Doha include kicking back at Sealine Beach Resort, visiting the Sheikh Faisal Museum and exploring the northerly Al Thakira mangroves by kayak. To the west lie the limestone rock formations and beaches around Zikrit and the Ras Abrouq peninsula, with camel racing at Al Shahaniya during wintertime. Then there’s the ever popular 4X4 “Inland Sea” desert safaris, with barbecue feasts and overnight stays in Bedouin-style camps offered in season. Local DMCs Qatar International Adventures and the excellent Travel Designer both offer comprehensive programmes.
With its inherent conservatism, Qatar won’t be everyone’s idea of holiday heaven and as the ubiquitous hoardings and cranes illustrate, the dream remains a work in progress. Even so, with $20 billion of investment propelling Qatar’s tourism vision forward at the kind of breakneck speed my driver Latif would appreciate, it’s a good time for agents to get to grips with all that it offers.
Be a sport: Fifa World Cup 2022 aside, sporty options to sell around include October’s cycling Tour of Qatar and January’s Qatar Masters, held at Doha Golf Club, Qatar’s only 18-hole course. Venues such as Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club and the Aspire Zone all host regular sporting events. Petrolheads are catered for at Losail International Circuit.
Book it: Abercrombie & Kent’s three-night Highlights of Qatar tour starts from £645pp, including accommodation with breakfast at St Regis Doha, private transfers and tours, including a Doha city tour and desert safari. Excludes flights. |
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