Qatar launches Nagpur non-stops

IN CONVERSATION

Whatgroundwork are you doing for making Qatar a tourist destination?

Beginning this year we are making investments between $16-$20 billion over six- seven years to promote Qatar. We are promoting Doha as a shoppers's paradise and developing Qatar's art galleries, amusement parks, museums etcetera.

Many multi-billion dollar projects are underway in Doha, including five-star hotels, facilities for holding international sports events "" all aimed at turning Qatar into a high-class tourist destination.

Are you also modernising Qatar airport in the process?

Yes. Since passenger traffic has increased manifold we are developing better facilities on the existing airport with an investment of $250 million. This will be spread over three years.

Besides, we are coming up with a new international airport with an investment of $5.5 billion. The new facility will be designed and built specifically for the Airbus double-decker A380. Spread over 2,200-hectares, the airport site will reclaim half its land from the Arabian Gulf.

Qatar Airlines is perceived as a high cost airline. Will you be lowering fares for India?

We are quite clear that we are in the premium segment and will not look at cheap fares. However, we feel that with rising income levels in India and more and and more people taking off from work and vacationing, there is a lot of scope for Indians to travel Qatar Airways and visit Qatar for tourism purposes.

How many Indians currently visit Qatar?

I don't have statistics on the growth of Indian tourists but it's been on the rise. A lot of them visit Doha for shopping. We have decided to increase the number of flights from India from the current 30 flights a week. These are spread over five Indian cities and we have just announced a non-stop flight from Nagpur, Maharashtra.

Why Nagpur?

Firstly, we see a lot of business travellers from Nagpur with the opening up of a special economic zone. Secondly, Nagpur will soon come up with a new modern airport.

We also have flights from other business cities like Cochin, Hyderabad and Thiruvananthapuram, and are looking at some other Indian cities to start flights from.