58 Cruises to Dock at Doha Port During Upcoming 2022–2023 Season

The 2022–2023 season, which Mwani Qatar describes as one of the busiest seasons, would see up to 58 cruises pass through Doha Port, Qatar's entryway for marine tourism.

It is believed that the cruise season, which lasts until the end of April 2023, will assist domestic tourism and related industries. The FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which was successfully hosted and ended on December 18, 2022, is now in its first season.

"58 cruises are expected to dock at Doha Port overall during the upcoming 2022–2023 cruise season. During the season, which runs through April 2023, six cruise ships will call Qatar for the first time "In a tweet, Mwani Qatar stated.

The Le Bougainville cruise ship arrived at Doha Port on December 25 to officially kick off the 2022–23 cruise season. The first ship of the season, operated by the French business Ponant Cruises, is 131 meters long and 18 meters wide and has a capacity for 294 passengers and crew members.

On December 29, the MSC World Europa, a second cruise liner, is anticipated to arrive at Doha Port. There could be 19 cruises in January 2023, 20 on February, 13 in March, and three in April.

Doha Port is undergoing a thorough rebuilding process as part of the nation's efforts to strengthen Qatar's status as a desirable tourism destination.

The expansion of Doha Port, which is becoming a hub for luxury yachts, enormous cruise ships, and cruise ships from throughout the world, supports attempts to make Qatar a popular regional travel destination for cruise ships.

Its location in the center of Doha's Corniche and proximity to some of the city's top tourist sites, including the stadiums, Souq Waqif, and museums as well as Msheireb Downtown Doha, make it an ideal starting point for exploring the city's diverse array of cultural and recreational options.

The Doha Port Redevelopment Project, carried out by the Ministry of Transportation to the port's basin and quay, has helped to increase its capacity for receiving the largest cruise ships in the world, as it had previously handled three enormous floating hotels during the World Cup.

"The cruise industry has developed into a significant segment of the national economy and a cornerstone of the nation's tourism sector. Strong statistics attained in the years prior to the pandemic's onset serve as evidence for this "Mwani Qatar's executive vice president for business, Hussain Ahmad al-Maqeef, noted.

Rehan Ali Syed, chief executive of Tawfeeq Travel Group, has previously told Gulf Times that the cruise season is anticipated to have a number of positive effects on domestic tourism in Qatar.

"The beginning of the cruise season will undoubtedly promote tourism in the nation. Desert safaris, museum visits, and trips to the mall are a few of the popular shore excursions that people love "based on him.

In order to market the destination in the area and with CLIA's larger network of cruise lines, travel agents, and stakeholders, Qatar Tourism signed into a collaboration with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in the UK and Ireland in August 2021.