Qatar is an ideal destination for Saudis for a family holiday this summer, a top Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) official told Arab News on Sunday.
Abdulla Malalla Al-Bader, the QTA’s director of tourism, was speaking during a roadshow at the Ritz Carlton Hotel to raise awareness on Qatar being an ideal destination for people in the GCC to celebrate Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha.
Al-Bader said the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Roadshow 2012 started in Alkhobar in the Eastern Province on Saturday.
“We selected Saudi Arabia as the maiden location for our roadshow because the Kingdom is an important market to our country,” the official said.
Last year, he said, 59 percent of the 845,000 tourists from the GCC countries were from the Kingdom. During the first quarter of this year, around 16,500 Saudis visited Doha for business and leisure purposes. According to reports, 72 percent of the tourists to Qatar in 2011 were MICE visitors.
Under this program, he said the QTA is targeting both Saudis and expatriates living in the Kingdom.
“The hotel and the country's national carrier (Qatar Airways) will arrange entry visas to Doha within three hours from the time of application,” he said, adding that this is a special arrangement made by the QTA in cooperation with the Qatari Ministry of Interior and the airline.
He added that the show would also tour Kuwait, Muscat, Abu Dhabi and end in Dubai on May 31.
“Qatar is fast becoming one of the emerging destinations in world travel, thanks to our strategy to highlight the range of activities on offer in Qatar,” he said.
“The promotional roadshow is to promote Qatar as a premier business and upscale leisure destination to MICE (meetings, incentive, convention, exhibitions) professionals,” Al Bader noted.
He pointed out Qatar has made significant investments domestically and internationally to encourage cultural, sport, and leisure tourism to complement the business tourism industry in the country.
“The investments are to develop Qatar’s tourism infrastructure over a five year period, including the construction of new hotels, resorts and other tourism facilities,” he said.
Qatar also hosts several international sporting championships in tennis, golf, athletics and football. Plans are under way, he said to build world-class stadiums for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The iconic Museum of Islamic Art, designed by I.M. Pei, has put Qatar’s capital city of Doha firmly on the cultural scene in the Middle East. Other major projects scheduled to open in the near future include the Qatar National Convention Centre, which boasts 40,000 square meters of state-of-the-art exhibition space and the New Doha International Airport, which on completion will handle up to 50 million passengers.
QTA’s tourism strategy during the roadshow will aim to promote Qatar’s authentic heritage and rich past while highlighting its focus on building for the future through creativity and innovation by promoting the five major pillars such as meetings, sports, culture, leisure and education.
The (QTA) plans to grow the tourism industry by 20 percent over the next five years.
Qatar Tourism Authority was restructured in 2009. Consequently, it was given the mandate to organize, enable, and supervise the tourism industry’s development and to organize exhibitions in Qatar, as well as represent and promote the country as a quality tourism destination for leisure, business, education, and sport.
The authority gets actively involved in organizing events and promotions which positively reflect on the general image of Qatar as an evolving tourism destination combining business with leisure.
Qatar popular tourist destination for Saudis
Qatar popular tourist destination for Saudis
![](https://www.arabnews.pk/sites/default/files/styles/n_670_395/public/pics/29/05/2012/1338225441141360300.jpg?itok=1iSK4lR2)
Saudi-Egyptian cooperation continues to maintain stability in the region, foreign minister says
![](https://www.arabnews.pk/sites/default/files/styles/n_670_395/public/main-image/2024/09/10/4522737-1904686674.jpg?itok=FqZGKKJB)
Speaking during a press conference in Cairo, Prince Faisal said a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty on Tuesday confirmed the Kingdom’s sincere desire to deepen its bonds with Egypt.
“We anticipate the launch of the Saudi-Egyptian Coordination Council in the coming days,” Prince Faisal added according to Al-Ekhbariya.
He said the Kingdom appreciated Egyptian efforts to bring humanitarian aid into Gaza and that the continued obstruction of aid by Israel is a war crime.
“The delay in reaching a ceasefire in Gaza is repeated evidence of the failure of the international security system,” Prince Faisal said.
“We are not asking for the impossible… We are only asking for the implementation of international law,” the Kingdom’s foreign minister added.
Speaking about the war in Sudan, Prince Faisal said that it had “gone on for too long and we must double our efforts.”
During a meeting with Abdelatty, Prince Faisal discussed intensifying work on regional and international issues of common interest, most notably the crisis in the Gaza Strip.
Saudi Arabia reaffirms commitment to coral reef protection at Red Sea forum
![](https://www.arabnews.pk/sites/default/files/styles/n_670_395/public/main-image/2024/09/10/4522727-1565730847.jpg?itok=twf0vAY5)
- Forum coincides with the 38th International Coral Reef Initiative meeting
- SHAMS CEO Khaled Asfahani said that the Kingdom has the capability to drive initiatives that bolster the protection of the Red Sea
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has reiterated its firm dedication to protecting coral reefs and marine environments at the Red Sea Coral Reef Forum, held by the General Organization for Conservation of Coral Reefs and Turtles in the Red Sea, known as SHAMS, in Jeddah from Sept. 9 to 13.
The Kingdom’s position is consistent with sustainable development objectives and is bound to solidify its global leadership in environmental conservation and natural resource preservation, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
The forum coincides with the 38th International Coral Reef Initiative meeting, which gathers a diverse group of experts, environmental scientists, decision-makers, university students, and marine environment enthusiasts.
SHAMS CEO Khaled Asfahani said that the forum is part of ongoing efforts to preserve marine environments, address the problems Red Sea coral reefs face, and discuss effective protection strategies.
He added that the forum also focuses on the need to develop joint projects to ensure environmental sustainability, promote the blue economy, and increase awareness about the importance of preserving marine environments to protect coral reefs in the Red Sea and beyond.
Asfahani said that the Kingdom has the capability to drive initiatives that bolster the protection of the Red Sea, making it a global example in marine environment conservation due to visionary leadership focused on environmental protection.
“SHAMS is dedicated to safeguarding the marine environment in the Kingdom, but its ambitions extend beyond borders,” said Asfahani.
He urged increased cooperation to protect marine ecosystems, both in the Red Sea and worldwide, with the aim of protecting natural heritage.
Asfahani stressed that the Red Sea holds vast potential and is a model of biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods for millions of people.
Saudi Cabinet reviews efforts by Muslim, Arab countries toward establishing Palestinian state
![](https://www.arabnews.pk/sites/default/files/styles/n_670_395/public/main-image/2024/09/10/4522717-1508237673.jpeg?itok=UFw3yPeE)
RIYADH: The Saudi Cabinet reviewed efforts by Muslim and Arab countries to support the establishment of a Palestinian state, Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
It also reviewed efforts to restore the Palestinians’ legitimate rights and and halt Israeli violations of international and humanitarian laws.
The Cabinet also praised the efforts of the Aligned for Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan Group to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people, expand the delivery of humanitarian aid, and work toward a ceasefire agreement.
The group is made up of countries mediating between the warring parties in Sudan and include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, and the US.
At talks held in August in Switzerland, ALPS said it had secured promises to let aid flow through the Adre border crossing from Chad into the Darfur region and along the Dabbah Road from Port Sudan on the Red Sea.
Between August 20 and 30, 59 aid trucks carrying medical, food, nutrition, emergency shelter and essential household items crossed from Chad to Darfur via the Adre border crossing point, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has said.
The Cabinet also welcomed Saudi Arabia’s successful bid to host the UN World Data Forum 2026 in Riyadh, granted in recognition of the Kingdom’s achievements in the statistical sector and its track record in hosting successful international events.
Saudi embassy in Damascus reopens after 12-year closure
![](https://www.arabnews.pk/sites/default/files/styles/n_670_395/public/main-image/2024/09/10/4522712-1515825713.jpeg?itok=GDTUpG05)
- Al-Haris said the embassy and its staff were keen to exert all efforts to strengthen relations between Saudi Arabia and Syria
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Damascus reopened on Monday with a ceremony to mark the occasion.
The celebration was attended by a number of Syrian government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and a group of dignitaries and intellectuals, the embassy said.
Acting Charge d’Affaires Abdullah Al-Haris stated in a speech on Monday that “this day is an important moment in the history of relations” between the Kingdom and Syria.
Al-Haris added that the embassy and its staff were keen to exert all efforts to strengthen relations between the two countries.
Saudi Arabia shut its embassy in Syria and withdrew all its staff in March 2012, a year after the Syrian civil war started in 2011.
Manga Productions, stc play launch new anime game
![](https://www.arabnews.pk/sites/default/files/styles/n_670_395/public/main-image/2024/09/10/4522654-888491143.png?itok=Jv4d0Wez)
RIYADH: Manga Productions, a Misk Foundation subsidiary, has launched the game “Future’s Folktales Hopper Quest” in collaboration with stc play, the gaming arm of stc Group.
Inspired by the successful “Future’s Folktales” series, the game is available on the App Store, Google Play Store, and App Gallery.
Developed by Saudi professionals, the game features stories inspired by the Arabian Peninsula, multiple characters, and five unique worlds, including “Future Riyadh.”
Free to download on mobile, it supports Arabic, English, and Japanese. The game offers daily challenges and engaging dialogues. It has been downloaded over 278,000 times worldwide during its trial launch.
Essam Bukhary, CEO of Manga Productions, said: “stc play is a leading player in the gaming field, and we are looking forward to collaborating to further elevate our vibrant gaming community.”
Bader Almarshoud, head of stc play, said: “We are passionate about creating a vibrant gaming community where players can dive into a world of rich content crafted around their preferences.
“By combining our innovative technological solutions with the creative brilliance of Manga Productions, we offer gamers an engaging and immersive adventure.”
Ohoud Al-Qahtani, senior game producer at Manga Productions, said: “To provide the best gaming experience, we constantly work on developing and improving the product through several updates based on data collected from players.
“In our daily work, we also focus on developing our tools, team skills, and mechanisms for executing game development tasks continuously.”
The first game in the “Future’s Folktales” series, produced by Manga Productions in 2020, achieved global success, airing on over 40 platforms and garnering over 100 million views.