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DOHA
Qatar has announced an easier tourism visa scheme for passengers transiting through Doha, in a move to promote the country as a world-class stopover destination.
The new transit visa scheme allows passengers to stay in Qatar for up to four days (96 hours) if they have a minimum transit time of five hours at the Hamad International Airport (HIA), announced Qatar Airways (QA), Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) and Ministry of Interior (MoI) on Monday. The passengers don't have to apply ahead of arrival for an entry visa.
This is a significant improvement from the previous transit visa scheme, which allowed travellers, with a minimum layover of eight hours, to spend a maximum of two days (48 hours) in Qatar.
The new scheme makes stopovers easier and more attractive to Qatar Airways' global passengers, while strengthening the local economy and promoting Qatar's position as an attractive tourist destination.
The Qatar transit visa is available free of charge on arrival at Hamad International Airport to passengers of all nationalities, upon confirmation of onward journey and completion of passport control procedures. All visas are approved and issued at the sole discretion of the MoI.
Qatar Airways group Chief Executive Akbar al Baker said:"Qatar Airways serves millions of people from across the world, while connecting more than 150 destinations. We want to enrich the journey of our passengers."
Qatar Airways group Chief Executive Akbar al Baker said,"We want to enrich the journey of our passengers and we are restructuring our fares to reflect this initiative and to promote stopovers of travellers. We are excited to offer our passengers an opportunity to experience the cultural highlights of Doha and Qatar in general."
The announcement, on the eve of World Tourism Day, is the third in a series of enhancements that Qatar has made to facilitate entry into the country for visitors. Last week, officials announced a new process to quicken the entry of tourists arriving on board cruise ships. Authorities have also recently signed an agreement with VFS Global, which will see the implementation of a new, faster and transparent tourist visa facilitation mechanism.
The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Secretary-General Taleb Rifai commended Qatar on its rapid advancement in this area.
"Promoting visa facilitation is a priority for tourism development worldwide and a key element in the competitiveness of tourism destinations. We congratulate Qatar for announcing, on the eve of the World Tourism Day, a new milestone change in the country's transit visa scheme," he said.
"This is the third significant travel facilitation announcement from Qatar in just one month. We are very pleased to see the work conducted by UNWTO with Qatar on visa facilitation is yielding results. These measures will certainly result in an increase of visitors to Qatar."
Director-General of the General Directorate of Nationality, Borders and Expatriates Affairs in the Ministry of Interior Brigadier Abdullah Salim al Ali said,"The Ministry of Interior strives to support the country's growth and development while maintaining security for all visitors and residents. We are pleased to facilitate the movement of 30 million passengers who pass through Hamad International Airport every year. We welcome them to spend time in Doha and enjoy Qatari hospitality."
QTA's Chief Tourism Development Officer Hassan al Ibrahim said,"By offering an enhanced transit visa to passengers travelling through Hamad International Airport, Qatar is providing its visitors a welcoming experience from the moment their planes touch down in Doha until they begin their onward journeys to their final destinations. We are delighted to make Qatar more accessible to people from around the world and invite them to discover our country, our cultural heritage and our natural treasures."
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27/09/2016
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