May of this year marked the first time ever where visitor arrivals to Qatar by land surpasses those by air.
The number of arrivals to Qatar during the month of May this year surpassed that of 2019’s pre-pandemic figures by 25%, reports confirmed, as authorities continue to ease Covid-19 travel precautions.
Almost 166,000 foreign visitors entered the country in May, making it the month with the most visitors in 2022 so far. Additionally, the numbers reflect more than 25% of all visits that were received in the first five months of this year.
May celebrations in Qatar have proven to provide a huge boost to the number of tourists arriving to the country. Visitors have flocked in large numbers in conjunction with special activities and attractions hosted last month as part of “Eid in Qatar.”
More than half (54%) of all arrivals in May came from the GCC, with tourists from Saudi Arabia topping international arrivals throughout the month.
The most recent visitor arrivals data shows that Qatar’s tourism industry is steadily recovering, with the 580,000 year-to-date total quickly approaching the total number of visitors in 2021, which stands at 611,000.
The June calendar for events and activities was recently released by Qatar Tourism.
Abu Samra border
According to customs officials, over 17,000 passengers and 6,300 cars reportedly passed the Abu Samra border last year. Following the Al Ula Declaration, trade and travel between Qatar and Saudi Arabia through the land crossing resumed in early 2021.
“The Port witnessed a large movement of travellers during Eid Al Fitr holiday, 62,628 vehicles entered and exited the country,” stated Yousef Ahmad Alhammadi, Assistant Director of Land Customs Administration at the General Authority of Customs (GAC), in their monthly newsletter.
The GAC is one of the key ports in the nation that specialises in easing the admission of travellers as well as commercial and personal cargo.
To ensure the quick and efficient movement of passengers and commercial goods, GAC is equipped with leading X-ray inspection tools, according to the newsletter.
The fact that there are numerous ways for visitors from around the region to travel to Qatar, whether by land, air, and sea, makes the country particularly appealing.
At a distance of 584 km, a six hour drive separates Doha and Riyadh. As for Abu Dhabi, it’s a mere 554km, which is around 5 hours and 25 minutes of driving.
For those keen on making the cross-border trips, the customs official advised travellers to register the customs declaration online.
The required insurance policy is also now available online for those entering Qatar through the Abu Samra border, according to a recent announcement from the Ministry of Interior (MoI).
Although applying online saves time, insurance plans can still be obtained physically at border counters if the traveller prefers, according to the MoI.
