File photo used for representation only
Doha: With a target to attract over six million international visitors a year by 2030, Qatar Tourism (QT) opened its first representative office in Tehran, Iran, earlier this month, adding to QT’s vast and growing network of offices around the world.
Marked as QT’s 13th global opening, the office will lead various promotional activities, including tour operator partnerships, travel agent destination training, media visits and campaigns, all of which will serve to highlight Qatar as a cosmopolitan and culturally rich destination for travellers from Iran.
Qatar makes for an attractive and convenient destination for tourists from Iran, owing to weekly direct flights from the Iranian cities of Tehran, Mashhad, Shiraz, and Isfahan to Doha in less than three hours and visa-free entry for Iranian citizens. In addition, both countries follow Islamic calendars and can see synced holiday seasons, allowing visitors from Iran to travel to Doha for a last-minute getaway or luxurious city break.
Chief Operating Officer of Qatar Tourism, Berthold Trenkel, said: “Qatar Tourism’s choice in the location of its latest office opening is a testament to the decades-long cultural and trade ties between the two countries. Iran is one of 15 target markets identified by Qatar Tourism as a primary source for tourists looking to relax, rejuvenate and soak in some culture. Opening a representative office in Iran will help support Qatar Tourism’s strategic goals to increase the number of visitors to Qatar by threefold, increase spending by 3 to 4 times, and grow the GDP contribution of the tourism sector to 12 percent by 2030.”
In addition to holidays in which Qatar is the end destination, the country makes for an excellent stopover retreat for Iranian travellers set to continue to farther destinations.
Landing at Hamad International Airport, winner of the title, “World’s Best Airport” by Skytrax for two consecutive years, tourists can quickly immerse themselves in Doha’s many arts, culture, and retail offerings within close proximity. Accessed by car or the Doha Metro, visitors can explore the world-renowned Museum of Islamic Art, the iconic National Museum of Qatar and Souq Waqif.
