In a bid to ensure tourists and visitors enjoy a warm welcome and seamless visitor experience, Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) has announced the opening of several tourism information centers and kiosks at the various ports of entry to Qatar. These openings come as the country receives large numbers of visitors, thanks to the numerous ongoing festivals taking place this winter, including Shop Qatar, Souq Waqif Festival, Katara Winter Festival and Souq Al Wakrah Spring Festival, which are targeting tourists from neighboring countries. QTA's Tourism Information Center at the Abu Samra crossing caters to those arriving to Qatar through its border with Saudi Arabia, providing them with all they need to know about visiting Qatar including detailed information about ongoing events and festivals they can enjoy throughout their stay. In addition, Qatar International Adventures, Regency Travel & Tours and Katara Hospitality have representatives on hand to help facilitate visitors' stays, with services ranging from accommodation reservations to outdoor excursions. Another QTA kiosk has opened in the transit area of Hamad International Airport (HIA), offering an opportunity to the 30 million travellers passing through HIA to experience Qatar virtually through a video telescope showing 360-degree videos of the destination. It also hosts a photo booth, which visitors can use to eternalise their memories of Qatar, and visitor brochures available in six languages. The opening of the kiosk follows the recent introduction of a free transit visa, which allows passengers of all nationalities with a minimum transit time of five hours at Hamad International Airport to stay in Qatar for up to four days. An information desk has also been established at Doha Port, giving cruise visitors access to information about Qatar's must-see tourism landmarks immediately after they disembark. This development comes as Qatar welcomes its busiest-ever cruise season, with tens of thousands of passengers arriving throughout the 2016-17 season. According to Rashed Al Qurese, QTA's Chief Marketing and Promotion Officer, the development of the information centers came as a result of a thorough research process, in which QTA mapped out tourists' experiences from the time they plan a trip to the country, through to their bookings and arrival in Qatar. Research has shown that many GCC visitors prefer to make hotel reservations and trip plans upon arrival, which encouraged QTA to set up a permanent information center at the Abu Samra crossing. Al Qurese said "it is our pleasure to offer all visitors a taste of the traditional hospitality that Qatar is renowned for, and to create a welcoming experience for them from the moment they arrive. We hope these information centers will contribute to enhancing our visitors' experience, and we are grateful for the collaborative spirit shown by our various private sector partners and government agencies to make these installations possible." Al Qurese added that if visitors do not happen upon a kiosk, they can always find information through the tourism call center, which can be reached at +974 4406 9921 and provides up-to-date information about events and all tourists need to know about visiting Qatar. QTA have also developed a plan to set up temporary information kiosks during specific tourism festivals and events, with the aim of providing event-specific information to visitors. — SG
