Ambassador of Indonesia to Qatar, H E Ridwan Hassan
Doha, Qatar: Highlighting the recent inaugural Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Medan, Indonesia, the Ambassador of Indonesia to Qatar, H E Ridwan Hassan, expressed optimism about the enhanced ties between the two nations, particularly in tourism and business.
Ambassador Hassan stressed the significance of Doha’s status as a bustling global aviation hub, anticipating that the new connection would unveil the tourism spots in Medan, including Lake Toba, Berastagi, and Kawah Putih Tinggi Raja. These attractions have consistently attracted visitors from around the world. Medan is the capital of Indonesia’s North Sumatra province.
“We’re excited about the new flights from Doha to Medan and are expecting more people to visit Indonesia from Qatar. Recognising Doha’s status as one of the busiest global flight hubs, we believe that this new connection will unveil Medan’s abundant tourism spots,” he told The Peninsula.
Citing a remarkable surge in tourists from Qatar in 2023, doubling compared to 2022, Ambassador Hassan set a target of welcoming at least 2,000 Qatari tourists through the new route in the next year. He sees this as a positive indicator of growing interest and engagement between the two nations. “We witnessed a remarkable surge in the number of tourists from Qatar in 2023, totalling 1,699 which is double compared to the number of tourists from Qatar in 2022. We aim for this new route to bring at least 2,000 tourists from Qatar next year.”
Beyond the immediate impact on tourism, the envoy highlighted the broader implications of the new flight, expecting it to strengthen the ties between Qatar and Indonesia. He sees the improved accessibility to Medan as a means for fostering greater cultural and economic exchanges. This, in turn, could contribute to a more robust and mutually beneficial relationship between the two countries.
Moreover, Ambassador Hassan acknowledged Qatar Airways for its consistent role in connecting people from Indonesia and Qatar. He expressed gratitude for the airline’s partnership and hopes that the new flight to Medan will achieve great success. Looking ahead, he envisions it as a stepping stone for the establishment of additional routes, further solidifying the diplomatic and economic bonds between Qatar and Indonesia. “We hope that this flight achieves great success and paves the way for the establishment of additional routes from Indonesia, creating a mutually beneficial relationship for both nations.” Operated by Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, the new Medan route complements Qatar Airways’ extensive network, featuring over 40 weekly flights to Jakarta and Bali. The flight schedule to Medan includes departures from Doha every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday, with corresponding return flights from Medan.
