Over 50,000 Omanis visit Qatar in the first half of this year

Date

8/23/2016 1:02:37 AM

(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Muscat-

Qatar saw 1.4mn visitors in the first six months of 2016, a bulk (665,355) of them GCC nationals, according to the Qatar Tourism Authority's (QTA) Tourism Performance Summary for the first half of 2016.

Oman contributed with 50,546 visitors, the second lowest after Kuwait with 44,682 visitors, the authority said.
Saudi Arabia remains the largest source market and is also responsible for the bulk of the growth recorded in the number of GCC visitor arrivals, bringing to Qatar 39,650 additional Saudi visitors, representing ten per cent of the growth.

The number of visitors from both Kuwait and Oman was lower than in the first half of 2015, down three per cent and five per cent respectively.

Overall, a seven per cent growth from GCC markets was witnessed over the first half of 2015.

According to the report, the number of visitors is six per cent lower than recorded in the first half of 2015. The timing of Ramadan, which began this year in early June has had a clear impact on arrivals for the second quarter. However, August performance is expected to be better supported by the Qatar Summer Festival which will run for the duration of the month, QTA stated in a release.

A QTA spokesperson said, 'Visitor arrival figures should see a further increase in Q4 as the 2016-17 cruise season begins in October. Thirty-two ships have already registered to dock in Doha's ports, and are expected to carry over 50,000 visitors on board, a ten-fold increase from last year. This growth will continue as QTA and its partners set in motion plans to redevelop Doha Port.'

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