A view of Hamad International Airport.
Qatari travellers are taking advantage of the travel policies globally, with many exploring new destinations. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has severely restrained travel options, hence as the world gradually opens for tourism, many consider new places.
During the Eid Al Adha holidays, passenger traffic recorded a significant rise leading to increased flights to most tourist hotspots.
“Compared to last year, we have seen a 200% increase in patronage. This Eid, many Qataris travelled to Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia,” said Irfan Omer, an industry expert and Operations Manager at Happy Journey Travels. The iconic city of Istanbul remains a major favourite in Turkey, while Antalya, Bodrum, and Trabzon also attract Qataris. Similarly, Ukraine, particularly Kiev, and Russia (Moscow and St. Petersburg) have also seen an increase in visitors from Qatar.
According to industry sources, the increase in air fares did not deter travel despite tickets rising from QR2,000-2,500 to between QR4,000 and 5,000.
“The number of flights increased from Doha to Turkey, and they were all full. Some smaller aircraft were also upgraded to meet the flight demand,” Omer said.
Just in time for the summer months, all 27 member countries of the European Union (EU) recently agreed on a plan to reopen their borders for vaccinated travellers and those from countries that have successfully mitigated the COVID-19 pandemic.
The EU recently announced it would allow vaccinated travellers from Qatar to avail restriction-free entry. Citizens and residents from Qatar are not required to quarantine in these countries as long as they are completely vaccinated. Greece, France, Switzerland, Spain, and Germany have already begun opening visa processes, while others are expected to follow soon.
Omer said there has been a demand for several European countries like Germany, Spain and even to London.
“The UK still has Qatar in the red list, so people can’t travel directly from Doha to the UK. Hence, they spend some days in Turkey or Russia and then on to London,” Omer added.
This increase in demand has also helped the travel and tour agencies record significant business footfall.
“I have made QR4m from April to July,” Omer said. “In 2015-16, we made around QR6 to 8m, which dropped during the blockade. This is the first year we have made this much in this period.”
Meanwhile, Qatar’s vaccination programme, which continues to run steadily, has seen millions of people already vaccinated and a significant decrease in daily cases. With the gradual lifting of restrictions and entry requirements, those vaccinated with the vaccines approved in Qatar, including Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna, Oxford AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson can now visit the country.
The Ministry of Public Health has also conditionally approved Sinopharm vaccine.
“Vaccinated people are also coming into Qatar. We have seen a rise in that number.”
