Doha, April 30 (QNA) - The marine tourism season in the State of Qatar for the current year witnessed a noticeable increase by receiving 73 cruise ships and more than 378,000 visitors, recording an increase of 38 percent, compared to the previous season 2022-2023.
Qatar Tourism noted the 83 percent increase of turnaround passengers, and a 33 percent increase in the number of cruise calls. This years cruise season saw 68,050 turnaround passengers.
Qatar Tourism and Mwani Qatar announced the conclusion of the most successful cruise season 2023-24 during a special ceremony honoring partners and highlighting the most prominent achievements. The ceremony was held in the presence of HE Chairman of Qatar Tourism Saad bin Ali Al Kharji, and CEO of Mwani Qatar Capt. Abdullah Mohamed Al Khanji, and a group of representatives of government and private entities on Tuesday at the Doha Port.
MSC virtuosa contributed with 27,128 passengers and Mein Schiff 2 hosting 24,481 passengers. Together, these two cruise ships accounted for a total of 51,609 turnaround passengers, further contributing to the success of this years cruise season.
Commenting on the success of the cruise season, HE Chairman of Qatar Tourism, said: "Doha has become a prominent cruise destination with varied tourism experiences offered to visitors. From its debut in October 2023 to its grand finale in April 2024, this cruise season has exceeded all expectations breaking the records of visitors and cruise ships from previous seasons. The Doha Port Cruise Ships Terminal, "The Terminal", symbolizing Qatar's commitment to excellence"
He further thanked the partners, adding: "Our success is a testament to the dedication and hard work of Qatar Tourism and Mwani Qatar teams, as well as the unwavering support of our partners. It is important to express our gratitude to every entity and organization that has played a part in making this season a resounding success."
CEO of Mwani Qatar for his part said: "We are pleased with this successful conclusion of one of the exceptional seasons at Doha Port, Qatars Gateway to Marine Tourism. This achievement represents another significant milestone in the development of the marine tourism industry in Qatar, and it highlights the crucial role played by the Doha Port Cruise Ships Terminal, "The Terminal", in achieving the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030 and Qatar Tourism Strategy".
He added that: "This season has been a testament to the growing popularity of Qatar as a world-class cruise destination in the region. It showcased the exceptional tourism capabilities of the State of Qatar. At Mwani Qatar, we are committed to enhancing the capabilities of Doha Port in line with the Ministry of Transport's strategic plan. We strive to provide the best international services to attract more cruise lines and travelers in the upcoming seasons. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our stakeholders, partners, and everyone who contributed to making this season the most successful ever in the history of the marine tourism industry in Qatar."
This cruise season saw 6 numerous international cruise maiden calls which marked their first visit to the destination, including the Crystal Symphony, Mein Schiff 2, Azamara Journey, MS Riviera, MS Hamburg and the award-winning Norwegian Dawn graced the Gulf region for the first time. These debuts depict Qatars increasing allure on the global stage in terms of cruise tourism, adding to the countrys great history of seafaring.
Cruise season 2023-24 saw passengers arriving in Qatar originating from all over the world. 28 percent of passengers were from Germany, 11 percent from Italy, and 6.7 percent from Russia, making these three countries the top three nationalities of passengers. There were also thousands of passengers from Kazakhstan, United States of America, United Kingdom, China, Spain, France, and Uzbekistan, as well as GCC countries. (QNA)