Doha                                                                                                                                                                                                      06 June 2018                                                                                                                                                                                        (QNA)

Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) announced Wednesday that the fifth edition of Qatar Summer Festival (QSF) will kick off on June 14 and will continue till August 31.

Held under the theme "Colour Your Summer", the country's longest festival will start its first week with special Eid Al-Fitr celebrations.

Commenting on the event, Director of Festivals and Tourism Events at QTA Mashael Shahbik said that QSF has grown over the years to become synonymous with family-friendly activities, entertainment, hospitality and shopping offers that bring color to everyones summer.

"In its fifth edition, we are particularly excited to add special activities for sports fans to enjoy the worlds most anticipated football tournament" She added.

She said that the summer festivities, which this year extend from Eid Al-Fitr to the end of August, form a key part of our efforts to energize the tourism sector through diversifying Qatars events calendar and tourist source markets.

As this years edition coincides with the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018, QSF has partnered with the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy and Ministry of Sports and Culture, to bring Qatar Fan Zone to Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena. The Fan Zones activations will kick off on Thursday, 14 June, and continue until the World Cup final on Sunday, 15 July.

Entry to the Qatar Fan Zone is free, offering all residents and visitors an opportunity to keep up with the excitement surrounding the month-long Russia World Cup tournament in an atmosphere that emulates the World Cup vibes.

In addition to live screenings of all matches, the zone will feature live entertainment and concerts, a gaming and activation area, and more than 40 food stalls.

Commenting on the Fan Zon, Nasser Al Khater, Assistant Secretary-General at the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, expressed pleasure for cooperation with QTA and the Ministry of Culture and Sports to establish Fan zone in Qatar, noting that this is the second experience after the Fan Zone established during the 2014 World Cup.

He hoped that the Fan Zone will succeed to provide an exciting experience for the fans, which will reflect the atmosphere in the State of Qatar during the 2022 World Cup.

For his part, Advisor to the Minister of Culture and Sports for Sports Affairs Abdulrahman Al Dosari expressed the Ministry's pleasure for cooperation with the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy and Qatar Tourism Authority to benefit from this international event, especially that Qatar will host the same event in 2022.

He said that establishing a Fan Zone is part of the Ministry's efforts to raise the level of interest and awareness of the importance of sports in the community, and to upgrade it to the point of excellence, in addition to providing a family atmosphere that allows all members of the family to enjoy the experience of the World Cup.

Chief Marketing and Promotion Officer at QTA Rashid Al Qurese underlined that Qatar Tourism Authority is always looking for new ways to boost the tourism movement in the country during summer.

He noted that the World Cup coincidence with Qatar Summer Festival is a unique opportunity for the festival to expand its offerings beyond its usual sectors of shopping, hospitality and entertainment to include sport.

From the first to the fifth day of Eid Al-Fitr, the participating malls in the Qatar Summer Festival will be putting on special free entertainment shows for shoppers and families looking for some indoor fun. The shows will be performed three times a day on rotation at all participating malls.

For a flavor of local tradition, the Qatari Ardha dance can also be enjoyed across malls this Eid.

The participating malls include Al-Khor Mall, Al-Mirqab Mall, B Square Mall, Doha Festival City, Gulf Mall, Hyatt Plaza, Landmark Mall and Mall of Qatar. Lagoona Mall is also participating with special World Cup activities, allowing shoppers to watch the tournaments matches live.

The Entertainment City, QSF family favorite, returns to open its doors to the public on the first day of Eid Al-Fitr. Spread out over the expansive ground floor of the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center, the Citys key features include the worlds largest bouncy castle, an 18-hole mini-golf course, an ice skating rink, exciting rides, skill games, video games, as well as live entertainment shows.

Visitors to the City will also be able to keep up with the World Cup excitement through while enjoying food, beverage and shopping options. Individual game prices range from 10 QAR to 35 QAR.

Meanwhile, retailers at 11 participating malls will be offering up to 50% discounts and special promotions. For every QAR 200 spent at any of the outlets in QSFs participating malls, shoppers can enter three raffle draws for a chance to win one of 27 exciting cash prizes worth QAR 2,000,000 or a car.

All throughout QSF, nearly 50 of Qatars five- and four-star hotels are providing a range of offers and discounts on brunches, beach and pool access, accommodation and spa treatments.