Qatar Tourism and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) have announced a new partnership aimed at enhancing cross-border tourism in the Gulf region. This collaboration introduces twin-center holiday packages that allow travelers to combine visits to Doha and Abu Dhabi, facilitating a unique multi-city travel experience.

The launch of these holiday packages occurred during the Arabian Travel Market 2025, where Qatar also shared additional plans to grow its tourism sector by partnering with regional and international entities. The joint initiative is designed to promote seamless travel, offering a diverse range of cultural, entertainment, and hospitality experiences in both cities.

Central to this effort are Qatar Airways Holidays and Etihad Holidays, which will create customized travel packages. These packages will include a variety of hotels and activities to showcase the best of both destinations. They will be marketed to tour operators in key markets, particularly in Europe and North America, to expand the region’s tourism appeal.

This partnership aims to attract new visitors and position the Gulf as a leading travel destination while enhancing economic growth through increased tourism. By making it easier for tourists to navigate between Qatar and the UAE, this initiative is expected to enrich the travel experience significantly.

In addition to the twin-center packages, Qatar Tourism also highlighted developments in cruise tourism at the Arabian Travel Market 2025. In collaboration with Celestyal Cruises, Qatar announced the deployment of two ships, the MS Celestyal Journey and the MS Celestyal Discovery, for the Winter 2025 cruise season. The MS Celestyal Journey will operate its cruises from Doha, while the MS Celestyal Discovery will make regular stops at Doha Port, projecting over 40 000 visitors during the season.

Furthermore, Visit Qatar has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Huawei to enhance its marketing strategy targeting key markets, including China, Europe, and the GCC. This partnership will utilize Huawei’s Digital Marketing Platform to support data-driven tourism planning and improve visitor engagement through various digital tools.

Eng. Abdulaziz Ali Al Mawlawi, CEO of Visit Qatar, emphasized the significance of participating in the Arabian Travel Market 2025. He noted the presence of over 48 local tourism companies eager to showcase Qatar’s unique tourism offerings and engage with international partners to foster future collaborations.