The World Cup 2022 is coming. Known as one of the most prestigious sports events in the world, the international soccer tournament will be held in Qatar this year in November. This is the first time that a Middle Eastern country will host this huge sports festival. In addition, this will be the first time that it will be held in a country with the characteristics of Qatar, in which all the venues of the event surround the only city with any hotel properties, Doha, the capital of the small country in the Persian Gulf.
Qatar’s challenge will be to receive a large influx of foreign tourists. According to Qatar’s official estimates, the country is expected to receive over 1.2 million visitors. This corresponds to 40% of the total its total population.
Hosting sporting mega-events, such as the Olympics and the World Cup, is an infrastructure and logistical challenge for any country in the world, no matter how well-structured it is.
Historically, the World Cup has been held in countries with large dimensions such as Brazil and Russia, allowing fans to move from city to city to watch and celebrate the event. Still, they sometimes had transport problems, but rarely lodging, since they were diluted among the cities.
In the case of Qatar, receiving such a large number of tourists during only one month who will be basically concentrated around the capital, Doha is very challenging.
This will be especially complex in the first phase of the competition, as all 32 teams will still be participating in the tournament.
Those who have had the opportunity to travel to Qatar know that it is rich – the highest per capita income in the world – very organized, beautiful and endowed with a tourist infrastructure that far exceeds its regular demand.
To manage this smoothly, drastic measures will be necessary, and it seems that Qatar is ready to host World Cup 2022 as we will see below.
1. Hospitality
Ever since Qatar was chosen to host the World Cup 2022, the country has been working hard to guarantee accommodation for all those interested in attending the world’s largest soccer tournament.
The country promises to offer over 100 new hotels that will have sprung from the Arabian desert, increasing, even more, the already good hospitality infrastructure in Qatar.
Impressive floating hotels have also been built to attract tourists who are avid for high luxury products.
It is estimated that Qatar will have almost two hundred hotels, resulting in an offer of up to 50,000 beds by October 2022.
2. Apartments & Villas
In order to increase Qatar’s accommodation structure, the country decided to develop a new city for the World Cup.
Named Lusail, the new city is located north of the capital city Doha’s West Bay. The city will offer a wealth of apartments and villas for both tourists and locals.
It is estimated that Lusail has the capacity to house up to 250,000 tourists, representing 1/3 of the total number of tourists expected for the event.
3. Cruise Ships
The Qatar 2022 World Cup Organizing Committee has contracted two cruise ships from the operator MSC, to be used as temporary hotels during the 2022 World Cup.
These cruise ships have a combined capacity of 4,000 cabins and will be docked at Doha Port, providing the tourists with an amazing view of the West Bay.
4. Fan Village
Located near the Sealine Beach Resort, in Southern Qatar, the Fan Village is a construction of a picturesque accommodation project for the World Cup. It is composed of 650 Arab tents in Bedouin style.
These 650 tents are expected to house up to 2,000 soccer fans during the event.
The Fan Village promises to offer tourists an immersive experience, with places for leisure and entertainment, restaurants and stores.
5. What To Do And See In Qatar
In addition to enjoying the moments of one of the most famous sporting events in the world, tourists will also be able to experience some tourist options in Qatar such as taking 4×4 tours through the desert dunes, cultural excursions, and enjoying nature and wildlife.
For those who like a more lively life, the focus is the cities Doha, Al Khor, Mesaieed and Al Rayyan.
Some of the most popular attractions are:
Souq Waqif – It is a traditional marketplace in Qatar and a famous tourist spot in the country. It has impressive architecture where visitors can find several traditional goods from the Middle East.
National Museum of Qatar –The museum opened in 2019, the project is by French architect Jean Nouvel. The museum was built on the edge of the sea and offers a totally sensorial experience, with multimedia installations. Moving on from the occupation of the first peoples to the development of Qatari society, the museum showcases the desert lifestyle, migratory movements and the exploration of the country’s coast.
Katara Cultural Village – Opened in 2010 during the Tribeca Film Festival in Doha, Katara Cultural Village is an Arab culture and entertainment complex.
Villaggio Mall – Opened in 2012, Villagio Mall is a shopping mall located on Al Waab Street between Hyatt Plaza and Sports City on the western edge of Doha, the capital of Qatar.
Villagio Mall has over 200 stores, including many famous brands in the US, UK, Italian and German markets, but also with an internal canal 150 meters long with gondolas.
