Doha, February 03 (QNA)– Qatar Tourism has announced that in the first half of the 2024/2025 cruise season, Qatar welcomed 191,944 cruise passengers across 53 ships, including 20,951 turnaround passengers starting their cruise journeys in Doha. This success, recorded up until January 20, highlights Qatar’s growing role as a key cruise tourism hub in the GCC region.
German tourists lead the arrivals, accounting for 30.2% of the total, followed by Russia (10.8%) and Italy (9.2%). The top 10 nationalities combined represent 69.2% of the total passenger count. This season also marked the debut of four new cruise ships in Doha, including Resorts World One, MSC Euribia, Celestyal Journey, and Costa Smeralda. Costa Smeralda, the eighth-largest cruise ship in the world, will make 10 stops this season, bringing an estimated 82,000 passengers. Norwegian Sky is also expected to dock on April 12, 2025.
Omar Al Jaber, Chief of the Tourism Development Sector at Qatar Tourism, stated, “The growth of Qatar’s cruise sector reflects our strategic vision under the National Tourism Strategy 2030. We expect over 30 cruise ships by the end of the season, bringing an additional 185,000 passengers. This reinforces Qatar’s appeal as a regional turnaround hub.”
The cruise industry is now a cornerstone of Qatar’s tourism strategy. Doha Port’s strategic location in the heart of the city maximizes visitors’ experiences, as the nation continues investing in world-class infrastructure and fostering partnerships with international cruise operators to enhance its reputation as a premier cruise destination.