Doha: The State of Qatar, represented by a delegation comprised of government and private agencies, and spearheaded by Qatar Tourism and Mwani Qatar, is participating in the Seatrade Cruise Global exhibition and conference.
Taking place in Miami from September 28 to 30, this global platform brings together leaders from the cruise industry to explore the latest industry trends. With participants from 140 countries, Seatrade Cruise Global will have more than 700 exhibitors from sectors including ports and destinations, ship equipment and shipbuilding, entertainment, environment and health, hospitality, information technology, and much more.
The Qatari delegation also includes representatives from Doha Bus and Al Tawfic Travel & Tourism, helping tourism stakeholders to conduct meetings and exchange knowledge with industry influencers and high-level cruise executives while keeping abreast of the latest updates within the cruise industry and learning of recovery plans and promotional and marketing campaigns.
Further, the “Sea Trade Cruise Global” exhibition and conference provide an opportunity for major international cruise operators to learn more about Qatar’s capabilities: its tourism infrastructure and the features that make it an attractive inclusion in their cruise programmes.
In line with the country’s plans to enhance Qatar’s position as an attractive tourist destination, Doha Port, the country’s gateway to marine tourism, is in the midst of a comprehensive redevelopment process. The Port is being transformed into a hub for cruise ships, giant cruise lines, and luxury yachts.
On this occasion, Captain Hussain Ahmad Al Maqeef, Mwani Qatar’s Executive Vice-President Commercial, said: “The Seatrade Cruise Global Expo and Conference is one of the largest and most significant events in the global cruise industry calendar. The organisation of this year’s edition comes in light of the continuing repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on the cruise industry in the region and the world, which gives us hope that the cruises’ activity will return soon. The cruise industry sector has become an important tributary of the national economy and a mainstay of the tourism industry in the country. This is evidenced by the strong numbers that were achieved during the past years before the outbreak of the pandemic.
“Through our participation in this global event, we hope to learn about the latest developments in the industry, hold meetings with partners from all over the globe, and benefit from the experiences of reputable ports in the field of cruises in laying the foundations for a well-established cruise industry that in line with the Ministry of Transport and Communications’ strategic plan aims at achieving the Qatar National Vision 2030 goals.”
Mwani Qatar and Qatar Tourism, in collaboration with partners in the public and private sectors, are working to develop the country’s marine tourism industry. This has witnessed a noticeable increase in the number of incoming travellers since 2015. Doha is increasingly one of the most prominent luxury cruise destinations in the Arabian Gulf for the winter season.
Berthold Trenkel from Qatar Tourism said: “There’s no doubt that the cruise tourism sector has become an important pillar in the tourism sector strategy. This is evidenced by the impressive results the sector achieved in the years before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The cruise sector, much like the wider tourism sector, has had a particularly difficult journey over the past 18 months. The Sea Trade Global conference and exhibition in its 2021 edition give hope to the cruise industry and boosts its ability to recover and overcome the pandemic.” Qatar Tourism recently signed several agreements for upcoming cruise seasons. The country has also invested in cruise infrastructure, most notably the new cruise terminal in Doha Port, which will be ready to welcome visitors in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
