Saudi Arabia expecting tens of thousands of World Cup fans: minister
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (AFP):
Saudi Arabia is putting on 240 flights a week and easing overland travel to attract tens of thousands of football fans attending the World Cup in neighbouring Qatar, the kingdom’s tourism minister told AFP.
Saudi Arabia has offered multi-entry 60-day visas to holders of the World Cup’s Hayya pass, the compulsory permit available to ticket-holders.
Weekly flights from Saudi Arabia to Qatar will soar to 240 during the month-long tournament, up from six normally, Ahmed Al Khateeb said on the sidelines of an investor forum in Riyadh.
The efforts are intended to jumpstart the nascent tourism sector in the once closed-off kingdom, which only began issuing tourist visas in September 2019 — just months before the coronavirus pandemic decimated the industry globally.
With prices high and accommodation options limited in Doha, Qatar’s Gulf neighbours are expected to soak up an overflow of fans.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
