Qatar's newly created General Tourism Authority (GTA) will soon launch an ambitious campaign aimed at luring more tourists from Bahrain, reported the Gulf Daily News on Tuesday.
The high-budget government program is part of a long-term plan that is being backed by the country's private sector, notably its burgeoning hospitality businesses, to build the country's fledgling tourism industry, said the paper.
GTA marketing director Abdulla Al Saif said local marketing efforts would include a print and electronic media campaign, local promotions to increase awareness about Qatar and what it has to offer, and specially-priced vacation specialty packages aimed at families, single travelers, golfers, water recreation enthusiasts and shoppers.
Initial efforts during the summer proved successful as airline load factors from Bahrain to Doha on Qatar Airways and Gulf Air steadily climbed during the last three months, with still healthier figures in business and leisure travel visitor numbers, said Saif.
"While Bahrain is one of several Gulf countries being targeted by the GTA, we are not limiting ourselves to becoming a regional tourist destination," he added.
"We are positioning ourselves in the global arena to attract world-class Meetings, Incentive, Conferences and Exhibitions (Mice) business."
The opening of two new five-star properties in Doha later this month, the Ritz Carlton and the Inter-Continental Hotel, will add more than 1,000 five-star hotel rooms. "With nearly a dozen other new five-star hotels currently under construction or set to be completed within the next five years, Qatar will soon have a necessary infrastructure to host large-scale events," he said.
The construction of the proposed causeway between Bahrain and Qatar will be a further boost to tourism, he added.
"The additional tourism flow would benefit everyone," said Saif.
"Both countries would be in a better position to promote themselves as one package to prospective international visitors."
Tourists are showing increasing interest in the country, said Qatar Airways head of holidays, Mark Senior.
This is leading to more international hotels being set up in Qatar.
Two events which are expected to increase international interest in the country are the World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial meeting in November, which could attract as many as 10,000 people, and the Asian Games in 2006, said the paper – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
