Dubai to benefit from the World Cup in Qatar

Gulf Today Report

A report by Bloomberg Agency said that Qatar is about to get a boost to its tourism sector, as the Gulf state is preparing to receive more than one million football fans, while it is expected that Dubai will benefit more than any other tourist site in the region from Doha's hosting of the World Cup, noting that of the more than 90 new flights that will land in Doha daily, about 40 will depart from the UAE alone.

Only “fly Dubai” will operate 60 flights (round trip) daily, 24 hours a day, in both directions, between Dubai and Doha, with an average of 30 flights, in conjunction with the FIFA World Cup matches scheduled to take place between November 20 and December 18.

According to the report, flights from major Middle Eastern cities will transport fans to Qatar, benefiting airlines, hotels and hospitality venues across countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman.

Dubai destination

The report stated that a new hotel built on the Palm Island has been allocated to guests who plan to stay in Dubai, and take a 40-minute flight to Doha with simplified travel procedures, limited to a ticket to enter one of the matches.

Bloomberg quoted Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, as saying that Dubai will be the “main gateway” to the World Cup, and he expected that the number of arrivals to Dubai during the period would be very large.

Recently, data showed that 13 of the 22 daily flights designated for flydubai dedicated to transporting fans to attend the World Cup matches in Qatar, from Dubai to Doha on the first day of the tournament, saw all seats in Economy Class run out.

flydubai has opened the door for booking “match-day flights” between Dubai and Doha, for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and the airline will provide match-day flights in partnership with Qatar Airways and other national partner airlines in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

Match day trip

The traveller must hold tickets for the Qatar Football Tournament to book a Match Day Trip to Doha. In addition to submitting an application for a “Haya” card, which will be used as an identity card for the fan and is required to enter Qatar as well as to enter the stadiums.

For passengers who do not have match day tickets, flydubai flights scheduled between Dubai International Airport and Hamad International Airport will continue to operate during this period according to their usual times.

For 12 years

Qatar has been preparing to host the cup for 12 years and estimates that an influx of 1.2 million visitors will add $17 billion to its economy, and a regional transport service will connect Doha with other cities, including Muscat, Riyadh, Jeddah and Kuwait City, while Saudi Arabia and Oman will hold festivals to attract fans and plan to simplify travel procedures.

The Saudi Tourism Authority says it expects to receive 30,000 visitors thanks to the World Cup, and those registered in the Qatari Haya card can apply for multiple entry visas to the kingdom.

Meanwhile, the Omani Ministry of Heritage and Tourism said the tournament will raise the profile of many regional destinations, and will have an economic impact beyond the event.