At its annual Ghabga held Monday, Qatar Tourism (QT) celebrated the conclusion of its successful winter campaign. Thousands of people flocked to take part in the celebrations throughout the ‘Feel Winter in Qatar’ campaign which ran from January to March.
In a speech, Qatar Tourism, Director of Shared Services Omar Al Jaber, said: “Feel Winter in Qatar was a targeted campaign that helped us make the best of Qatar’s winter sun. We brought global firsts, with the likes of the PAW Patrol Festival, and reignited some of Qatar’s most loved celebrations such as the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition.”
“The breadth of experiences speak to Qatar’s multi-faceted tourism offering, and we are delighted to have welcomed residents and regional visitors during this time.” The diverse array of events are organised by QT in collaboration with Qatar Airways.
The “Feel Winter in Qatar” campaign featured a dynamic, varied, and continuous calendar of activities that happened all around the country. Among these are: Qatar Balloon Festival, Qatar Live, Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition, Qatar International Food Festival and Shop Qatar.
Qatar Balloon Festival’s third edition, which took place in January at the Old Doha Port, served as the campaign’s launch.
This was then followed the Qatar Live concert series, which included performances by John Legend, Disney Princess: The Concert, and the legendary Circus 1903, which made its Doha premiere.
According to Qatar Tourism data in January and February, they recorded over 730,000 international arrivals to Qatar. Most of the visiting tourists were from Saudi Arabia with 22 percent; India, 8 percent; Germany, 7 percent; Oman and Kuwait, 6 percent each; Bahrain and United Arab Emirates, 3 percent each, among others.
The data for January and February are relatively higher compared to 2021 and 2022. In January, Qatar welcomed 340,000 international visitors, 295 percent higher compared to 86,000 in 2022; and in February, it tallied 389,000 visitors, 406 percent higher compared to 2022, which was 77,000.
In February, the 19th edition of the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition was held and in March, the 12th edition of the Qatar International Food Festival was organised and hosted at Lusail Boulevard for the first time.
And last month, Shop Qatar, the country’s largest shopping festival, made its return to venues across the country. Shoppers were treated to a variety of activities such as live entertainment, makeup tutorials and the chance to win cash prizes.
The distinctive Paw Patrol Festival at Place Vendôme also falls under the Shop Qatar umbrella. The pup-tacular event featured a live stage with larger-than-life figures.
Meanwhile, the current campaign running is the “Feel Ramadan in Qatar,” where an array of Ramadan-related events and activities for the whole family will be held during the holy month. In addition, there are fantastic deals on hotel accommodations, Iftar and Suhoor dinners, and an Eid Al Fitr celebration that the families will never forget, according to the QT.
