‘Qatar Welcomes the World’ Campaign Takes Off at World Travel Market

Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) is launching Qatar’s latest destination promotion campaign, Qatar Welcomes the World at the 37^th World Travel Market (WTM). The campaign capitalises on the country’s new visa facilitation measures and aims to leverage the WTM platform to extend its audience reach.

Qatar is now the region’s most open country with nationals of over 80 countries eligible for a free entry visa waiver. To further facilitate visitor access, the country introduced an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system for visitors of all nationalities with valid residence permits or visas from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Schengen countries, and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Rashed Al Qurese, Chief Marketing and Promotion Officer at QTA,  said that the new campaign, Qatar Welcomes the World, is the country’s largest destination promotion campaign yet and comes as part of the effort to diversify Qatar’s visitor source markets.

We are particularly excited to be launching it at WTM, where our visitors from across the global tourism and travel industry have an opportunity to learn more about the developments that make Qatar the most open country in our region.’

WTM, which kicks off  in London this week, is the global tourism industry’s most anticipated annual event. The three-day event at the ExCel Centre, brings together over 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, tourism industry leaders, government officials and international press.

Qatar’s delegation to WTM this year includes 24 hotels and Destination Management Companies (DMC) representing Qatar’s leisure tourism options. QTA will be exhibiting alongside private sector partners, providing a comprehensive one-stop showcase of the destination’s extensive offerings.

At the QTA stand, visitors are invited to collect ‘Your Passport to Qatar’, a brochure on the various visitor visa types and the different systems that have been put in place to make a visit to Qatar – whether for a stopover, a short break or as a final destination – a smooth and enjoyable process.

The campaign will also see a fleet of taxis branded with Qatar Welcomes the World stationed around the ExCel Centre and in London during WTM and into 2018, encouraging those attending the show and those living and visiting London to discover more about Qatar and its attractions.

A social media competition for the campaign encourages people in London to snap a photo of one of the branded taxis and upload  by using the hashtag #PassportToQatar. The most creative photo will win a three-night trip to Qatar for two, including accommodation at the luxurious Sharq Village & Spa and flights with the award-winning national carrier Qatar Airways.

WTM delegates gather each year to network and negotiate with representatives from global tourism destinations, and to discover the latest investment opportunities in the tourism industry. This year, Qatar’s delegation includes representatives from the following organisations:

For more information about the World Travel Market, visit their official website through this link. You can also visit the QTA website for more details.