www.gulfnews.com Qatar is aggressively promoting itself on the world's tourist map. In the latest such moves, state-owned Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) has unveiled a series of hotel and infrastructure projects.

These were disclosed during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) show in Dubai earlier in the month. As a clear indicative of its tourism ambitions, Qatar had played host to the World Travel and Tourism Council's fourth Global Travel and Tourism Summit at the start of May.

To be sure, efforts are being made on several fronts to make Qatar a tourist destination. For example, the government has eased entry rules, as part of efforts to woo visitors.

Accordingly, QTA grants citizens of 33 countries from Europe, Americas and the Far East the right to obtain a 14-day tourist visa, extendible for up to four weeks, on arrival at the airport. The same privilege is extended to foreign nationals with residency permits within the fellow GCC states, irrespective of nationality.

Concurrently, the authorities have not overlooked constructing the necessary infrastructure. Hence, a new airport will be constructed at the cost of $5 billion. In January, Bechtel of the US was awarded a $2.5 billion contract to build the first phase of the project.

Bechtel is entrusted with designing, project managing and constructing of numerous facilities capable of handling 12 million passengers a year as of 2008.

Recently, Bechtel extended a subcontract to Hellmuth, Obata & Kasssabaum of the US as a design architect for the passenger terminal. The job involves designing the 140,000-square-metre terminal, car parking, a mosque and a utility plant besides site improvement.

As part of a broader plan to entice visitors, the authorities have focused on attracting sports events. These include camel racing and equestrian functions.

Qatar's camel race is regarded as the world's top. Likewise, Qatar International Festival of the Horse and Qatar Desert Marathon for horses draw a good number of competitors.

Other forms of competition include sailing as part of International Regatta plus Qatar Open, an annual tennis event with growing recognition as well as football and athletic games.

Yet, the biggest event is scheduled for December 2006 when Qatar hosts the 15th Asian Games. The event is expected to draw some 10,000 athletes from 44 nations to compete for more than 30 different activities for almost 400 gold medals.

Also, some 20,000 visitors are expected to attend. The government has allocated $1.2 billion for developing new facilities including a $200 million sports complex.

 

Capitalising on 80 to 85 occupancy rates at the five-star hotels, serious efforts are underway to develop new hotels in and around the capital. Later this year, Four Season will open to the public its $130 million West Bay Complex, which consists of an 18-storey hotel, a 28-storey office tower and two 22-storey apartment blocks.

Also, recently the local Al-Rayan Tourism Investment Company has extended a management contract to Marriott to operate three hotels, namely the Renaissance, Courtyard and Executive Apartments. Ritz Carlton, Inter-continental, Sheraton, Marriott, and Movenpick hotels are already operating in Qatar.

Additionally, privately owned United Development Co (UDC) is promoting an ambitious $2.5 billion Pearl of the Gulf project. In April, Qatar Dredging Company was awarded the contract the reclamation and dredging work for the 400-hectare island off western Doha. Once completed in 2009, the project will include three hotels.

For its part, Qatar Airways is helping promoting tourism in Qatar. In 2003, it placed order for 34 aircraft at the prohibitive cost of $5.1 billion to meet its expansion drive.

Last year, it acquired state-owned Qatar National Hotels Company, which owns the leading hotels in the country. Clearly, all roads are leading to Qatar.