Football fever is on the high, and with the EURO 2022 coming to a close, the interest has now shifted towards the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Football fans around the world are excited about the first Middle East world cup and the advertisements from Qatar Airways stating, "See you in 2022" can be seen all across the world.
So, the question that looms today is, how is Qatar Airways preparing for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022 in the country? Well, let's dive deep and understand how the airline is preparing for the biggest event Qatar has ever hosted.
Doha FIFA World Cup To Give Strong Returns
Whenever a major world cup happens, there is always a risk involved with the preparations. Qatar, the host nation of the upcoming world cup, has spent a whopping amount in billions as part of the preparations which can easily be regarded as a major risk. But here's the thing, the returns from this preparation are expected to be massive, and here's why -
Major sporting events happening across the world have the ability to put host nations on the world stage. This not only boosts tourism in the country but provides a range of long-term benefits.
Take an example of Russia, for instance. The world cup 2018 was hosted by the nation which injected over $14 billion into the Russian economy.
Expansion Of The Hamad International Airport
One of the finest airports in the world today, the Hamad International Airport would be expanded in time before the world cup kicks off in the country. This would not only help travelers commute to Qatar smoothly for the world cup but would also enhance the country's position as a major transit gateway for overseas travelers in the world.
Can The FIFA World Cup Benefit Doha In The Long Run?
One of the richest cities in the world today, Qatar's capital city Doha may well be benefitting heavily from the upcoming FIFA World Cup. In an interview conducted with Qatar Airways' SVP of Revenue Management, Alliance and Strategy, Mark Drusch, the different scenarios of Doha Transforming with the world cup have been thoroughly looked at.
According to Drusch, the increased capacity of the Hamad International Airport would not only meet the world cup demands but would help with the post-world cup demands. Drusch believes that the FIFA World Cup 2022 has huge potential to put Doha on the world stage which would imminently fuel the growth of Qatar.
Suggested Read: FIFA World Cup 2022 Predictions Every Football Fan Should Know
Doha International Airport To Return?
One of the key things that Qatar is focusing on is a seamless travel experience. The idea is to provide a hassle-free travel experience to passengers who would come to the country to witness the world cup. So, in the whole process of doing this, the Doha International Airport is now set for a return. The airport will be coming out of retirement.
Earlier, it was mothballed after the opening of HIA in 2014. However, in order to meet the travel demand that the world cup will bring, the airport will now be playing a major role. Although most of the passenger load would be taken care of by the HIA, the Doha airport would be deployed for private jets.
Travel Demand To Normalize By The FIFA World Cup 2022, Says Mark Drusch
The pandemic has been a major talking point in the world and many world sporting events have been affected by it. However, with the world cup just a few months away and means of dealing with the virus improving with time, the travel demand may well normalize by the time the world cup kicks off in Qatar.
What is interesting is that football fans would find a way of traveling to support their team even if the virus continues to spread. Hence, the travel demand during the FIFA World Cup 2022 may well be strong by the time the tournament happens.
How Is Qatar Airways Planning To Meet The Demand?
Although the world cup is still a long way off, Qatar Airways has found a way of anticipating the demand. While the booking window is still far, the airline has come up with a solution to collect the demand data and start reserving the demands of those who are already looking to book their seats. As people from all across the world would be flying in once the tournament kicks off, it would be interesting to see how Qatar Airways finally manages to meet the demand.
In fact, according to Mark Drusch, Qatar Airways is already receiving a lot of requests for seats from all around the world and the airline is working tirelessly to meet the distinct demands.
Suggested Read: Top Stadiums In Qatar That Will Host The Upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022
Qatar Airways To Seek Help From Airline Partners
The travel demand during the FIFA World Cup would be extremely high once the competition kicks off in the country. So, in order to meet the rush of passengers, Qatar Airways would be open to seeking help from the market, if the need arises for extra capacity. The airline is already in close communication with its airline partners who will be helping Qatar Airways with an added capacity. Hence, Qatar Airways would be open to seeking all possible options if the need for extra capacity arises.
World football's greatest ever competition on earth, the FIFA World Cup in Qatar is only a few months away and the preparations for events are well underway. While major infrastructure projects are undergoing in the host nation in order to meet the venue and accommodation demands during the event, Qatar Airways and the Hamad International Airport are also making preparations to meet the high travel demands.
While Doha Airport will be making a return from retirement, the HIA is set for expansion. In fact, if the European Championship 2020 is anything to go by, the Qatar World Cup would also be attracting football fans from all around the world and the number of passengers coming into the country may well be much higher. So, are you excited about the upcoming FIFA World Cup in the Middle East? Plan your travel today and reserve an early seat for your flight to Qatar along with the best Qatar tour packages.
FAQs
Whenever a major world cup happens, there is always a risk involved with the preparations. But the returns are set to be massive for Qatar. Major sporting events happening across the world have the ability to put host nations on the world stage. This not only boosts tourism in the country but provides a range of long-term benefits. Take an example of Russia, for instance. The world cup 2018 was hosted by the nation which injected over $14 billion into the Russian economy.
The travel demand during the FIFA World Cup would be extremely high once the competition kicks off in the country. So, in order to meet the rush of passengers, Qatar Airways would be open to seeking help from the market, if the need arises for extra capacity. The airline is already in close communication with its airline partners who will be helping Qatar Airways with an added capacity. Hence, Qatar Airways would be open to seeking all possible options if the need for extra capacity arises.
Yes, the Doha International Airport is now set for a return. The airport will be coming out of retirement. Earlier, it was mothballed after the opening of HIA in 2014. However, in order to meet the travel demand that the world cup will bring, the airport will now be playing a major role. Although most of the passenger load would be taken care of by the HIA, the Doha airport would be deployed for private jets.
One of the richest cities in the world today, Qatar's capital city Doha may well be benefitting heavily from the upcoming FIFA World Cup. The increased capacity of the Hamad International Airport would not only meet the world cup demands but would help with the post-world cup demands. The FIFA World Cup 2022 has huge potential to put Doha on the world stage which would imminently fuel the growth of Qatar.
The host nation for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, Qatar, is spending a whopping amount on preparations for the world cup. There are major projects going on in the country which include stadiums, highways, hotels, and many more. As per an estimate, Qatar would be able to complete all these projects ahead of schedule. In fact, few venues for the world cup are already complete.
The pandemic has been a major talking point in the world and many world sporting events have been affected by it. However, with the world cup just a few months away and means of dealing with the virus improving with time, the travel demand may well normalize by the time the world cup kicks off in Qatar. What is interesting is that football fans would find a way of traveling to support their team even if the virus continues to spread.
Qatar is a country that houses some of the finest locations around the world. Travelers can explore historical locations, natural wonders, and modern marvels in the country. Some of the top locations include - Souq Waqif, National Museum of Qatar, Khor Al Udaid, Museum of Islamic Art, Katara Cultural Village, Banana Island, Purple Island, Al Thakira Natural Reserve, Doha Corniche, Pearl Qatar, etc.
The FIFA World Cup 2022 will take place in Qatar for the first time ever. This would not only be the first-ever winter world cup in the Northern Hemisphere but would also be the first-ever world cup in the Middle East. The tournament would begin on 21st November 2022 and end with the final on 18th December 2022.
