A single tourist visa valid for all GCC countries will be highly instrumental in encouraging the tourism industry in the region, Qatar Chamber (QC) tourism committee has said.
During its first meeting, headed by QC member Sheikh Hamad bin Ahmed bin Abdulla al-Thani, the committee pointed out that the introduction of such a visa would reflect positively on the tourism sector in all GCC countries.
The committee members saw a pressing need for more campaigns by Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) to highlight tourist sites and features of the country. “This should be done on a broader scale, devising a comprehensive tourist programme to market the potential of the country for various visitors,” the committee felt.
Sheikh Hamad outlined the government’s support to the sector, saying it plays a major role in the national economy.
The meeting discussed the challenges facing the development of the industry, including the difficulty in getting a visa for some categories of tourists, high prices of air tickets, and the high rates of tourist services, especially in certain hotels. “All these have a negative impact on the overall turnout of tourists in the country,” they felt.
The committee said it will conduct a study of the issues related to the industry, laying special focus on the role of tourism companies. Based on the findings of the study, recommendations and solutions will be submitted to the entities concerned, a statement from QC said.