Qatar Tourism signs deal with CLIA in UK and Ireland

Gulf nation sets sights on welcoming more than six million visitors a year by 2030

Qatar Tourism has forged a partnership with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) UK & Ireland.

The deal aims to enhance awareness of the country as a cruise destination among UK and Irish cruise-goers and to build links with cruise lines, travel agents and stakeholders.

As part of the partnership, Qatar Tourism will be one of the headline sponsors of the CLIA Selling Cruise Day on 4 November in Southampton and will also sponsor the annual CLIA Cruise Forum in December 2021.

Extensive development is under way in Qatar’s tourism sector as the country works to diversify and build upon its offering and broaden its appeal for visitors ahead of and beyond the FIFA World Cup 2022. 

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CLIA UK & Ireland managing director Andy Harmer said: “We’re very excited to welcome Qatar Tourism to the CLIA family. Their support for the trade is a clear indication they are looking to build positive cruise momentum.

“The region was proving increasingly popular with cruisers and we’re all looking forward to seeing ships start visiting the exceptional facilities of the Doha port and its surroundings again.”

During the 2019-20 season, Qatar welcomed 207,000 cruise visitors to Doha. With the Doha port undergoing a multimillion-pound refurbishment recently, the destination has set its sights on meeting and exceeding this number in the 2021-22 season, starting in November.

For more information, visit the CLIA website