Qatar hopes to attract 1.2 million World Cup visitors

Fatma Al Nuaimi

Qatar hopes to attract 1.2 million visitors during the World Cup 2022, an official has said, and will host them in traditional hotels and “innovative” accommodation, AFP reports.

“We hope that during the World Cup, more than 1.2 million visitors from around the world will attend,” Fatma Al Nuaimi, head of communications at the Supreme Committee that is organising the 2022 tournament, told AFP.

“They will not (all) be in the country at the same time, as the event extends over a period of 28 days.”

Qatar, with a population of approximately 2.75 million, will be the first ever Middle East World Cup host nation between 21 November and 18 December next year.

In addition to the hotels already available, Al Nuaimi said that there were other “innovative and temporary” solutions to hosting visitors. Those include accommodation on cruise liners, in hotel apartments and at fan villages with an Arabian desert vibe, as well as stays in private homes.

Officials have said that 16 floating hotels will also be built, providing around 1,600 rooms in total.

Al Nuaimi said the “Host a Fan” initiative will give visitors an opportunity to learn about Qatari culture. “We are a hospitable people, and this will be applied to the World Cup as well,” she told AFP.

Qatar had earlier said that it expected as many as 1.5 million people to descend on the tiny Gulf nation for the World Cup, and in the months before and after the big event.

Al Nuaimi said that while alcohol was not part of Qatari culture, “alcoholic beverages will be available in designated areas”.

She stressed that “98 per cent of the construction was ready, and preparations will be completed by the end of the year”.