A Qatar delegation consisting of representatives from Qatar Tourism, the Permanent Committee for the Management of Maritime Ports, Mwani and the General Authority of Customers, has visited the Spain’s Barcelona port to enhance the cruise sector.
The members of Qatari delegation discussed with Spanish management officials on best practices, workflow mechanisms, visitor’s services, cruise arrivals in addition to the port’s management. Qatar Tourism stated that this three-day visit comes as a part of enhancing Cruise Tourism in Qatar.
The visit centers on sharing expertise as well as experiences, and improving the operational processes and logistical services in the country necessary for the growth of sector. The first day of the visit revolves around exploring ships, the cruise ship terminal, modern security measures, coordination between various port authorities, priority determination and ship reservation procedures.
The Qatari delegation and Barcelona port officials participated in a joint workshop at the port. The workshop offered an overview of passenger entry and exit systems and innovative solutions aimed at effectively managing tourist flow in one of the Spain’s most important landmarks. The operational methods and efficiency of Spanish port and Doha port were also compared.
Omar Al Jaber, Director of Shared Services, Qatar Tourism
“The State of Qatar has emerged as a leading global destination for cruise itineraries in the region. The significant growth in Qatar’s cruise tourism sector is a testament to the constructive cooperation and ongoing coordination with our partners. The recently concluded 2023-2024 Cruise Season was a resounding success in terms of both cruise ship visits and total visitor numbers.”
Al Jaber also added that, “Our visit to Barcelona Port was aimed at gaining insights into the latest systems and services for enhancing the tourism experience for visitors arriving at Doha Port. This aligns with our commitment to continuously improve and innovate in order to offer memorable experiences to tourists visiting Qatar.”
Doha port has emerged as an important departure and return point for several international cruise ships, especially after its extensive development in recent years. The transformation included the construction of a large passenger reception area capable of accommodating two large ships at the same time and handling around 12,000 people per day.
The cruise sector has become an essential component of Qatar Tourism’s Strategy and has experienced significant growth in recent years. Only in 2023-2024 period, Doha port received 73 ships.
