Photo: DR

Representatives of the Interior Ministry, Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) and Qatar Airways announced at a press conference that citizens of 80 countries will no longer need a visa to enter Qatar. It will suffice to present upon arrival on Qatari soil, a passport with a validity date of at least 6 months, as well as a return ticket to obtain the right to enter Qatar.

The French will benefit from a visa exemption valid for 180 days from the date of entry into the territory and will be able to stay for up to 90 days in Qatar without additional administrative formalities.

Depending on the nationality of the traveler, this exemption may be valid for a period of 180 days from the date of entry into the territory and will allow the foreign visitor to spend 90 days in Qatar (exemption also valid for multiple entries) or else will be valid for a period of 30 days from the date of entry into the territory, with the possibility of benefiting from an additional 30 days (exemption also valid for multiple entries).

The Managing Director of Qatar Airways Group, His Excellency Akbar Al Baker said during the press conference: “With today's announcement, Qatar becomes the most open and accessible country in the region. We are very proud to see that Qatar is today the country allowing the greatest number of nationalities to benefit from a visa exemption. Qatar Airways, as the national airline of Qatar, takes great pride in enabling millions of travelers each year to discover our wonderful country with such a rich historical and cultural heritage. This measure, at the initiative of the Ministry of the Interior and the QTA, gives us the opportunity to bring even more visitors from an ever-increasing number of countries. "

According to Hassan Al Ibrahim, Director of Tourism Development at the Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), this visa simplification procedure is a key element of the tourism sector development strategy in Qatar, implemented by the QTA in partnership with representatives of the public and private sectors. Qatar is committed to diversifying the country's economy and details of a new strategy to further engage tourism industry players will be announced during World Tourism Day celebrations to be held on September 27, 2017 in Qatar. .

For Hassan Al Ibrahim, “Facilitating entry into the territory of Qatar is a key element for the growth of the tourism industry in Qatar. With this announcement, we are already writing the new chapter of Qatar's tourism strategy for 2030. With our partners from the public and private sectors, we wanted to put in place an optimal framework to attract visitors to the region. world by providing them with the best travel experience possible. There is no doubt that facilitating and accelerating the process of entering the territory is a determining factor in giving tourists the best possible image of our country. "

The Director of Tourist Development also adds that “With 80 countries eligible for visa waiver, Qatar is now the most open country in the region and we are delighted to invite travelers to come and experience Qatari hospitality, our cultural and historical heritage as well as our treasures. national. "

Mohammed Al Ateeq, Director General of the Department of Passports and Expatriate Affairs attached to the Ministry of the Interior also welcomes this measure. “We are delighted to announce that nationals of 80 countries now benefit from a visa waiver allowing them to re-enter the country without having to obtain a visa. We are working closely with our partners QTA and Qatar Airways to improve our visa policy and put in place solutions to make it easier for foreign visitors to travel to Qatar. Further measures to improve the experience of travelers in Qatar are under study and will be announced shortly. "

This visa exemption is an excellent illustration of Qatar's stated desire to put in place a series of measures intended to facilitate the entry of visitors into its territory. Since November 2016, Qatar has been offering stopover passengers in Doha to benefit from a free transit visa for a period of 5 to 96 hours. Later, in May 2017, the QTA in partnership with Qatar Airways launched its + Qatar program to promote the country as a must-see stopover destination. These measures, combined with the implementation of large-scale international marketing campaigns have enabled the country to increase the number of stopover visitors by 39% over the first six months of the year, compared to the same period. last year.

As part of the combined efforts of QTA and Qatar Airways to promote tourism in Qatar, the airline accelerated its development strategy by recently announcing the addition of new destinations to its network by the end of August such as Kiev, Prague, Sohar in the Sultanate of Oman, Dublin or Nice in order to allow an ever increasing number of visitors to discover Qatar.

To know more : https://www.visitqatar.qa/fr