DOHA: As it enters 11th day, the second edition of Shop Qatar has been receiving great response from visitors, a Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) official has said. “We are seeing great response. The target is to top last year and hopefully it will happen because it is looking very good so far,” Alshaima Alshaikh, QTA Head of Tourism Events and Festival Organisation Section, told reporters yesterday.
Initial figures released by QTA reveal the number of raffle vouchers in the first few days of the festival has surpassed that of last year. Around 25,000 vouchers were entered in the first raffle draw last week which covered the first five days of the festival, compared to 21,000 vouchers in the first six days during the inaugural edition of the festival.
One of the reasons for the excellent response the festival enjoys was Qatar’s visa facilitation measures including free transit visa as well as the visa waiver for 80 nationalities implemented last year, said Alshaikh.
More visitors from abroad are also expected to come in the coming days to enjoy the various offerings at the festival. “It’s looking great because of the recent changes in visa policy. We’re seeing more and expecting more visitors from abroad,” she said, confirming there had been more visitors coming from Oman and Kuwait as well as other countries.
This year’s festival has become exciting with more added elements weekly. Following the successful Arabian Week, last Sunday marked the start of Bollywood Week which offers a lineup of events and activities celebrating India’s vibrant arts and culture such as the Bollywood Fashion Show tonight at Mondrian Doha and Indian singing sensation Sonu Nigam’s concert this coming Friday at Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC).
Malls participating in Shop Qatar also hosts a variety of Bollywood-themed pop-up shops including fabric embroidery pop-up shop, bangles pop-up shop, cushion embroidery pop-up shop, and footwear making Pop-up shop.
The International Week, which is the last week of the festival, will see international makeup expert Joyce Bonelli and renowned Alejandro Resta give workshops at Ritz Carlton Doha.
A major highlight of the International Week is the much awaited concert of popular American EDM-pop duo The Chainsmokers on Friday next week at DECC. Doha will be the first leg of the world tour of the duo behind the Billboard hits Closer, Something Just Like This, and Don’t Let Me Down.
Visitors and residents still have a chance to win by shopping or dining at any of the festival’s 13 Mall partners. For every QR200 spent at any of the participating retailers or restaurants, shoppers can enter one of the festival’s three remaining raffle draws, with two BMW cars and 13 cash prizes ranging from QR10,000 to QR100,000 to be won each week.
The upcoming draws will be held at 8.30pm on January 18 and 25 at Hyatt Plaza and Tawar Mall respectively. The final draw will take place at the closing ceremony at Doha Festival City on February 8 which will feature a special performance by Lebanese singer Ramy Ayach.
