Fun-filled activities and games at the Entertainment City are helping a lot in promoting an active and healthy lifestyle among children, a number of visitors have said.

“After spending more than four hours at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC), my son Andrew now wants to play basketball regularly,” said Fred, a Filipino father who brought his family to the venue yesterday.
With a VIP Entry ticket, Andrew was given an all-access pass to all the rides, games, and activities at DECC, the main venue of the Qatar Summer Festival (QSF) 2016.
Fred said his son chose to play boxing, summer run, and Go Karting, other than the amusement rides, than going for the video and virtual reality games at the venue.
This was also Indian expatriate Puneet’s observation. He said his two children preferred the physical games than other attractions at DECC.
“This is our second time here and my children have always been very excited to play,” he stressed. “The activities at the festival have been keeping them away from their smartphones, which I believe is good for them.”


A young football enthusiast tries to hit the targets

Citing the importance of exercise and physical activities, Puneet hopes there will be more similar indoor games and mini sporting activities in future festivals in Doha.
He said his daughter Anita has also been actively participating in most of the activities at the Entertainment Stage, together with other young children.
With a bigger and spacious venue this year, visitors are prompted to walk more to see all the 11 zones, which offer more than 100 games, attractions, and rides.
The size of the Entertainment City has nearly doubled from about 15,000sqm to 29,000sqm at the new entertainment facility at West Bay, which many residents said was more accessible to them.
The venue received more than 40,000 visitors in the first six days since its opening on August 1, according to Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), the organiser of the annual festival.
From 200,000 visitors at the City last year, QTA expects the number to further increase this year, including those coming from other GCC countries.
QSF’s shopping promotions have also been attracting many GCC visitors especially those from Saudi Arabia.
At least one more Jaguar car is at stake for the last weekly raffle draw set on August 25 at 7.30pm at Lagoona Mall. Shoppers are entitled to get one raffle coupon for every QR200 purchase at participating malls and The Pearl Qatar. QSF 2016 concludes on August 31.