Khalid Tawalbeh
DOHA
The second edition of Visit Qatar’s Qatar Toy Festival concluded on August 14, after 31 days of entertainment-packed action for the whole family. This year’s festival set a new attendance record with 100,000 visitors, reflecting a 33.3 percent increase from its inaugural edition last year.
Organised in collaboration with Spacetoon TV, the festival featured 10 themed zones and a daily lineup of live performances, competitions, and concerts. Highlights included special performances by prominent Arab musicians such as Kuwaiti singer Humood AlKhuder and Syrian artists Tarek Alarabi Tourgane and Rasha Rizk, Qatari singer Dana Al Meer, and singer Essam Sukkar which added to the festival’s vibrant and festive atmosphere.
The closing ceremony included a performance by local choir Rouh al Sharq and was followed by remarks from Hamad Al Khaja, Acting Head of Events and Festivals Technical Support Section at Qatar Tourism.
Commenting on the success of the festival, Al Khaja said: "The second edition of the Qatar Toy Festival has been a tremendous success, drawing 100,000 visitors and setting new attendance records. This year’s festival was bigger and better, showcasing a diverse range of toy brands, mascots, performances, and competitions. Children of all ages enjoyed opportunities to learn, grow, and interact with their favourite toy brands. The festival’s success underscores Visit Qatar’s dedication to hosting a wide variety of events throughout the year, reinforcing Qatar’s status as a premier family-friendly travel destination.”
This year’s zones were broken into the following sections: Preschool, Girls, Boys, Anime, Family, Movie Land, Stage, F&B, Theming Area, and Retail. With 76 mascots and over 50 international brands, the Qatar Toy Festival had entertainment catered to children of all ages and tastes. Brands participating included Barbie, Marvel, and Naruto, to name a few, with new additions such as Mr Bean and Barney.
Qatar Tourism is the regulatory body of the tourism sector in Qatar. Qatar Tourism’s mission is to promote and expand tourism in Qatar by cultivating its rich culture, and developing thrilling attractions, and luxury experiences. With a clear vision to strengthen Qatar’s position as a premier family-tourism destination distinguished by service excellence, to achieve diverse and innovative economic growth.
Qatar Tourism will regulate and develop the tourism industry, encouraging investment from the private sector. It set the strategy for the tourism sector, reviewing it periodically and overseeing its implementation, with the aim of diversifying tourism offerings in the country and increasing visitor spend. Qatar Tourism is expanding Qatar’s presence globally and enhancing the tourism sector.