Doha, 15 Jan. 2023 (QT)

Italian Cruise Ship, ‘Costa Toscana,’ the flagship vessel of Costa Cruises, arrived at Doha Port today, on Sunday as a part of its first maiden tour of the Arabian Gulf. Offering 3 to 7-day cruise itineraries around the region, the ship can accommodate around 6,500 passengers and features its own waterpark, 13 swimming pools and hot tubs, 13 restaurants and 19 entertainment lounges.

Costa Toscana makes its debut as part of Qatar Tourism’s 2022-2023 cruise season, which kicked off in December 2022 with the arrival of French cruise ship, ‘Le Bougainville,’ and runs to April 2023. The season will see a grand total of 58 world-class cruise ships and four cruise liner maiden calls make their way to Qatar.

Maryam Saoud, Head of Tourism Product Support at Qatar Tourism, said: “Our cruise season is off to a solid start with the latest expansion in our portfolio of cruise liners a testimony to our growth and diversification. This is also an LNG-powered cruise ship to Qatar, which highlights our commitment to sustainability in the development of the cruise sector. We look forward to welcoming thousands of visitors and delighting them with the warmth, hospitality and range of experiences Qatar has to offer.”

Qatar's cruise sector, which was established in 2016, has helped position Qatar as a popular destination for maritime tourism in the region. The growth of the industry supports Qatar's economy through increased tourist spending, employment and business opportunities.

Since its return in 2021-2022, the cruise industry has driven significant growth to Qatar's tourism sector. In December 2022, Doha Port welcomed a total of 8,000 visitors, mostly from Italy and Russia. The 2021-22 cruise season welcomed a total of 100,500 passengers

Qatar’s new Grand Terminal will accommodate up to 12,000 people a day. Its strategic location in the heart of Doha makes it minutes away from some of the city’s most popular attractions including the National Museum of Qatar, the Doha Corniche and Souq Waqif.