qatar-tourism

Announcements coincide with Qatar and Saudi Arabia reopening their land border crossing following landmark deal to end the years-long Gulf crisis. The national carriers of Qatar and Saudi Arabia have announced the resumption of air travel between the two countries starting next week, just days after a deal was reached to end a years-long regional diplomatic dispute. A Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit on Tuesday declared an end to the bitter rift in which members Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain – along with Egypt – blockaded Qatar since June 2017. The group severed diplomatic, trade and travel ties […] More

Abu Dhabi says restoring diplomatic ties with Doha requires more time as parties work to rebuild trust. Arab states boycotting Qatar could resume travel and trade links with Doha within a week under a United States-backed deal, but restoring diplomatic ties requires more time as parties work to rebuild trust, a United Arab Emirates official said on Thursday. Gulf powerhouse Saudi Arabia announced the breakthrough in ending a bitter dispute at a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit on Tuesday, with its foreign minister saying Riyadh and its allies would restore all ties with Doha severed in mid-2017. UAE Minister of […] More

English high court dismisses UAE-based channel’s arguments to contest court’s competence, says it has jurisdiction. Qatar Airways has welcomed a UK court’s judgement that it has the jurisdiction to decide on a lawsuit filed by the carrier in a case against Saudi-owned broadcaster Al Arabiya over its airing of footage deemed “misleading” by the airline. Following a three-day court hearing, the English high court on Friday dismissed the United Arab Emirates-based outlet’s application to contest the court’s competence to hear the claims. The video, which was aired in August 2017 and widely shared on social media, showed an aircraft belonging […] More

Carrier blames pandemic, liquidation of shares in Air Italy, and boycott by Gulf neighbours for near doubling of losses. Qatar Airways has received about $2bn in state aid to weather the COVID-19 pandemic, as it posted significant annual losses after enduring one of its “most difficult years”. The Qatari state-owned carrier said the combination of the pandemic, a boycott by Gulf neighbours, and the liquidation of 49 percent-owned Air Italy – which announced its bankruptcy in February – had resulted in a near doubling of losses. This brought the carrier’s net loss for the year to end-March to 7 billion […] More

Travellers from high-risk countries for COVID-19 are required to obtain a ‘virus-free certificate’ prior to arrival. Qatar has extended strict quarantine rules requiring travellers to isolate for up to 14 days upon their arrival in the country, local media reported on Tuesday. “For all arrivals – including nationals, residents and visa holders – quarantine requirements are now extended for all arrival dates up to 31 December 2020,” The Peninsula newspaper reported, quoting the Discover Qatar website. Arrivals to Qatar from “low-risk countries” will be required to take a coronavirus test at the airport and sign an official pledge to adhere […] More