Plans To Increase Wildlife and Marine Reserves and Museums in Qatar

A number of experts and specialists discussed the future of eco-tourism in the country and presented many proposals to develop it during a symposium held on the sidelines of the first environmental forum organized by the Friends of the Environment Center in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.

The seminar, which was held in Katara Cultural Village, was moderated by Dr. Muhammad bin Saif Al-Kuwari, environmental expert and engineering consultant at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, along with Eng. Dhabia Jamal Sayyar, Director of Facilities Department at Qatar Museums, Mr. Ahmed Hussein Al-Mutawa, writer and environmental consultant at the Ministry of Municipality, and Mr. Muhammad Matar Al-Dossary, owner of Al-Dossary Reserve.

The speakers at the symposium reviewed the present and future of ecotourism in Qatar, the ability of the environmental projects currently being established to achieve the state’s vision and mission in this field, the hoped-for role of government and private agencies to encourage ecotourism in the country, the role of museums in supporting ecotourism, plans to increase the country’s natural and cultural heritage, and the efforts of the Ministry of Environment. And climate change is strengthening nature reserves in the country. The participants stressed that there is a bright future awaiting tourism in general in Qatar and eco-tourism in particular, due to the great interest the state attaches to natural reserves.

Engineer Dhabia Jamal Sayyar, Director of Facilities Management at Qatar Museums, discussed the role of museums in supporting eco-tourism, the short or long-term plans that Qatar Museums will make with regard to increasing the natural and cultural heritage in the country, and the nature of cooperation between museums and tourism stakeholders in Qatar, and pointed out that Qatar has two Among the most prominent museums in the Middle East countries are the Qatar National Museum and the Museum of Islamic Art, noting that there is a long-term plan to increase the number of museums in Qatar so that the museums will be a tourist destination in the country

Dr. said. Muhammad Saif al-Kuwari, an environmental expert and engineering consultant at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, and a member of the international team of environmental researchers during his management of the symposium: Qatar has witnessed in recent years a great growth in the field of tourism due to its increasing interest in developing tourist facilities, especially beaches and resorts, and therefore the focus on eco-tourism acquires special importance as The Qatari environment is not affected by any of the factors of human development, indicating that ecotourism, according to the United Nations, is defined as one of the types of sustainable tourism that contributes to the preservation of natural and cultural heritage.

Mr. Muhammad Matar Al-Dossary, the owner of the Al-Dossary Reserve, spoke about the Al-Dosari Reserve, its genesis and development, and the most important environmental promotional programs that it follows in the reserve, which were praised by visitors and the special programs that will be organized on the occasion of the 2022 World Cup, especially since many visitors and fans want to learn about the natural and cultural heritage for the country organizing the 2022 World Cup.