The upcoming fourth Qatar Summer Festival (QSF) will be the longest and biggest yet, Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) said yesterday.
To be held under the theme “Colour Your Summer”, the nationwide festival will combine shopping and hotel promotions, live entertainment and rides and games running from June 22 to September 5, more than twice its usual duration.
“The incidence of both Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha during the summer months this year created the perfect opportunity for us to merge the Eid Celebrations in Qatar and Qatar Summer Festival into a continuous, two-month long festival. In addition to having a longer QSF, tourists will also have more to choose from in terms of entertainment, shopping discounts and hotel offers,” Mashal Shahbik, Director of Festivals and Tourism Events at QTA, said at a press conference yesterday.
While the festival activities will begin on June 26, shopping promotions will start on June 22 to allow shoppers enjoy discounts in the last few days of Ramadan in preparation for Eid Al Fitr. QSF is delivered by the private sector, with QTA’s guidance and support. Malls, hotels and destination management companies will provide entertainment events and special packages, while the QSF centerpiece and family-favourite, the Summer Entertainment City, will be delivered by local events management company, QSports.
Over 100 activities likely at Summer Entertainment City
“We are proud to bring Qatar the world’s largest obstacle course, largest trampoline park, an exceptional food court, live entertainment, and 30 amusement park rides. There will be more than 100 activities for the whole family at Summer Entertainment City from June 26 to September 5. Taking place at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC), Summer Entertainment City will feature entertainment, sports, food, and fun on a level never seen in Qatar,” said Ghanim Al Mohannadi, Deputy Chairman of QSports.
QSF is reviving its collaboration with local comedy pioneers Doha Comedy Festival. Meanwhile Iconic Events will be presenting Hollywood comedian Marlon Wayans for the first time in Qatar.
The festival will also feature a music concert on August 18 by Nawal Al Kuwaitiyah and Saudi superstar Mohamad Abdo, courtesy of Rotana Group.
The fourth Mindsports World Championships will also be hosted at DECC between August 19 and 27, allowing visitors to the Summer Entertainment City to enjoy the international skills tournament expected to attract 1,500 mindsports enthusiasts from over 40 countries.
Over half of Qatar’s hotel establishments have partnered with this year’s QSF, representing a 35 percent increase from last year. Seventy-seven hotels and hotel apartments are offering special packages, which include offers to pay for two nights and stay for three in hotels, and pay for five nights and stay for six in hotel apartments.
Select establishments will provide additional incentives including free transfers to and from Hamad International Airport, free breakfasts, late check-outs, free meals for children when accompanied by their parents (a maximum of three children per family), free return trips to cultural and retail landmarks.
QTA has partnered with Discover Qatar, Qatar Airways Holidays’ destination management company to offer discounted travel packages. Visitors to Qatar during the festival can take advantage of a range of accommodation offers at Qatar’s hospitality sector, when booking through WeGo.
In addition, Qatar Airways transit passengers can also take advantage of +Qatar, a unique stopover package designed to give visitors the opportunity to discover Doha with free luxury hotel stays and complimentary transit visas. Launched earlier this month, the campaign continues throughout the summer season.
The Festival is set to kick off with attractive shopping discounts that reach up to 50 percent. In addition, shoppers who spend QR200 at any of the participating retail outlets throughout the festival can enter the QSF mega-raffle draw to win cash prizes and a super luxury car on September 5.
QTA also announced the launch of Qatar Events Calendar (www.visitQatar.qa/calendar), an online guide for all tourism events taking place in Qatar available in Arabic, English, German, Italian, French, and Turkish.