Doha: As Round One of the 2023 Qatar Airways GKA Kite World Tour concluded in Doha and winners of the Visit Qatar GKA Freestyle Kite World Cup feted, Director of Shared Services at Qatar Tourism Omar Abdulrahman Al Jaber has stressed the importance of sport tourism to developing the sector.
Speaking to The Peninsula on the sidelines of the Visit Qatar GKA Freestyle Kite World Cup closing ceremony yesterday, Al Jaber said, “One of the important components of Qatar Tourism strategy is focusing on sport as a tourism angle. This is why we are here today at the GKA Kite World Cup in Fuwairit Kite Beach to showcase one of the products from the tourism sector.”
Qatar saw a remarkable influx of tourists during the FIFA World Cup and November and December. Building on the momentum, the country has announced several activities to attract more tourists. It has also extended the Hayya card validity until January 2024. Besides, the cruise season has been a big hit, with over 200,000 cruise passengers expected this season.
However, hosting its first-ever GKA tournament, Al Jaber stated that this is the right time to have this kind of event in Qatar, which he hopes would attract more Qataris.
“It’s a new kind of sport in Qatar, and we hope to have more Qataris involved. Fuwairit is one of the amazing areas in Qatar, and most people know the area. The wind is usually good during the year and the seasons (for the sport). This is a good opportunity to attend and to have this kind of sport in Qatar,” he added.
Meanwhile, Bruna Kajiya and Gianmaria Coccoluto won the men’s and women’s finals to get the tour underway. Winners were rewarded with trophies, while Kajiya and Coccoluto bagged Qatar Airways business class tickets to any of the airline’s 150 destinations.
Three-time world champion Kajiya bested reigning champion Mikaila Sol in the women’s Freestyle final. The 35-year-old held off the gutsy 18-year-old American to return to the top of an event for the first time in two years. Nathalie Lambrecht and Clauia Leon finished third and fourth, respectively.
“For me, it’s super important. It was a very emotional win for me,” Kajiya told The Peninsula. “I’ve been working so hard for it. It’s the first event here in Qatar, and I feel like it brought me a lot of luck. So hopefully, the next event we have in December will be the same. And I’m looking forward to coming back,” the Brazilian added.
Defending Men’s champion Coccoluto on the other hand, praised the conditions in Qatar and said he’ll love to come back to the country as a tourist and not as a competitor to enjoy the beautiful sites. Coccoluto narrowly pipped Carlos Mario of Brazil for the win, while France’s Louka Pitot was a close third. Colombia’s Valentin Rodriguez finished fourth. “We are here in Qatar for the first stop of Qatar Airways GKA world tour, and I took the win after taking the World title in Brazil, and I’m super stoked for this to start the season with a win. I can’t wait for the next competition,” the Italian said.
“I can’t wait to come back here in December for the final because it’s a super amazing place. Flat water, wind — it’s perfect for what we do, so can’t wait to come back,” he added. The Qatar Airways GKA Kite World Tour moves to Salinas Del Rey in Colombia and will see competitors travel to Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa before returning to Doha in December for the Finals.
