QATAR: More And More Chinese Tourists Are Flocking Qatar, Thanks To Qatar Tourism Authority And Visa Free For Chinese Tourists

Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) office in Beijing, along with the other two QTA offices at Shanghai and Guangzhou, has achieved great success during the first quarter of this year in attracting more tourists from China to Qatar.

The managing director of the office, Jiajing, told reporters in Beijing that 15,158 Chinese tourists visited Qatar during the first three months of this year, a 68% rise over the same period last year.

He said this figure was for tourists only and did not include those going on business.

The huge success is attributed to the efforts exerted by QTA offices in China to promote Qatar as a new destination for traditional Arab heritage.

He pointed out QTA offices in China have printed and distributed a brochure in Chinese and used popular Chinese social media and chat applications such as Weibo and WeChat to promote Qatar as a promising destination.

Besides, local media representatives and social media influencers were invited to visit Qatar.

Travel agents were also invited to tour Qatar so they could better market the country to their Chinese clients.

QTA Beijing office managing director stressed that Qatar is expected to be a favourite destination among Chinese travellers, in particular as they do not require an entry visa and given visa free on arrival.

As part of the strong friendly relationships between China and Qatar, Peking University School of Foreign Languages, Department of Arabic Language and Culture, has celebrated the passage of 120 years.

Its establishment which also coincides with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationships between the two countries.

Wu Bingbing, deputy director of the department and professor of the Qatar Chair, said Qatar has extended generous support to the department and donated $10mn as an endowment to create the Qatar Chair.

The department uses the annual profit of $500,000 to further expand and improve its studies and researches in the field.

He said also that the department has fruitful co-operation with Qatar University and other universities at the Education City, Qatar.

Some Chinese students come to Qatar to study Arabic, and others are research scholars and their number is steadily increasing.

Qatar Chair is not only concerned with Arabic language studies but also covers Middle East studies.

Bingbing stressed that the graduates have good opportunities to work for the government and other major private companies as the Chinese interests are steadily increasing in the Middle East and it helps bring about more understanding among the Arab world and China.


Tourism Observer