A file photo of Qatar Balloon Festival, which took place from December 8 to 11 at Lusail Arena.
Doha: Qatar Tourism (QT) staged an exciting 2021 finish with jam-packed events from sports to family friendly activities to new touristic experiences.
QT Chairman and Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, H E Akbar Al Baker said: “This winter, Qatar has delivered a World Beyond to its citizens, residents, and visitors. We saw unprecedented levels of participation for our events and festivals, contributing to the success of the season. It is an encouraging sign as the country prepares to host millions of fans for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.”
He added: “We are especially delighted to see a large number of visitors from all over the region who joined us to share the exciting FIFA Arab Cup 2021 matches and partake of the variety of events taking place at the same time. It was wonderful to see the enthusiastic response to our cornerstone events, such as the Qatar International Food Festival (QIFF), Qatar Live, Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition and more.”
The first in the impressive line-up of events is QIFF - Qatar’s longest-running food and beverage festival which took place from November 26 to December 17. It was held at Al Bidda Park for the first time and hosted food trucks at a stretch of Corniche Road for eight days from November 26. Held after a hiatus of nearly two years, it had attracted 224,356 visitors. Moreover, the festival combined culinary arts with exciting festivities to provide family entertainment.
Twenty-seven local and international chefs participated this year in QIFF’s Cooking Theatre, Chef’s Table sessions and other events. Among these were local and regional chefs and eight renowned Michelin Starred chefs. The chefs participated as part of the World Class Chefs programme.
Shortly after the launch of QIFF, the country staged Qatar Live, hosting ten renowned artists of the Arab world from December 2 to 17 at Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC). It provided a stage to Qatari, Kuwaiti, Syrian, Lebanese, Moroccan, Saudi, and Egyptian singers and bands.
QT also hosted a Hot Wheels Monster Trucks experience which took place from December 8 to 11 at Lusail Arena. It treated audiences to an exclusive opportunity to see real-life versions of the famous Hot Wheels monster truck toys. The concerts as well as the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks combined shows had packed audiences totalling 22,754 attendees.
QT and Qatar Business Events Corporation hosted the 18th edition of Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition which was held from December 12 to 17 at DECC.
The exhibition is the leading platform for modest and contemporary Arabian fashion and held under the theme “Ignite,” affirming Heya’s commitment to empowering female entrepreneurs in Qatar and the Middle East. It hosted 130 brands.
Qatar Balloon Festival returned from December 9 to 18 at Aspire Park. The second edition featured 35 hot air balloons from 13 countries.
Meanwhile, the sporting events highlights from the winter season revolved around Formula 1 and the FIFA Arab Cup 2021. For the first time, Qatar hosted a Formula 1 Grand Prix, with the inaugural night race taking place at Losail International Circuit from November 19 to 21. Shortly after, the FIFA Arab Cup 2021 happened from November 30 to December 18 and brought together 16 teams from across the region. The event provided an opportunity to both competitors and spectators to experience the iconic stadiums that will host FIFA World Cup 2022.
The cruise tourism returned on December 2. MSC Virtuosa made its first voyage to Doha, bringing around 4,600 visitors. The 2021-22 cruise season is expected to be the biggest season yet, with 78 calls expected, including 11 maiden voyages, 11 turnaround voyages and 10 ships staying overnight in Doha Port.
QT launched a new song to celebrate the Qatar National Day 2021 by showcasing the country’s main attractions in a music video. The song follows four young girls as they embark on a tour of Doha, while singing “This is Qatar!.” It was written by Hessa Alneama, performed by Hind Al Naemi, and directed by Salem AlTurk.
