South Africa wants to attract more visitors from Qatar with a wide range of tourism products – from breathtaking scenery and pristine beaches to active adventure and wildlife safari year-round, an official of the South African Tourism Board (SATB) has said.
“South Africa has a vast tourism offering and we want to ensure that we have the right product suited for the (Qatar) market,” SATB marketing and promotions manager for Middle East and Turkey Sadiq Dindar told reporters.
He was speaking at a travel workshop organised by Qatar Airways and SATB in conjunction with the South African embassy in Doha, at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre recently. Dindar hopes to attract both Qataris and the expatriate community in Doha “who want to explore the beauty of South Africa with Qatar Airways”.
He said South Africa’s natural wonders include the 260mn-year-old Table Mountain, which was voted as one of the New 7 Natural Wonders of the World and dubbed as “a symbol of aspiration for people everywhere”. Dindar stressed that his country boasts of the best safari experiences with its world-renowned nature reserves and preservation areas in every province, as well as an array of national parks such as Addo Elephant, Garden Route, Golden Gate Highlands, Kruger and West Coast, among others. Skydiving, walking safaris, hot-air ballooning, windsurfing, treetop zip lining and river rafting are some of the popular adventures that travellers can enjoy, he added.
South Africa also offers a bustling city life, featuring nightlife entertainment and an international jazz fest in Cape Town. Its scenic outdoors include the 2.5km red sandstone, whale and dolphin watching, Blyde River Canyon and botanical gardens, among other attractions.
Tourists can also get the chance to aerial view of the Moses Mabhida Stadium on the Big Rush Big Swing or try hiking the Tugela Falls. South African ambassador Faizal Mooza said his country aims to further boost its tourism sector by providing visitors from different countries, including Qatar, with unique and unforgettable experiences during their stay.
“We are looking very closely at the figures of tourism, our president has been very clear that tourism is going to be one of the driving factors of the economy,” he stressed.
The envoy added that Qataris can now visit South Africa visa-free while other expatriates in Doha such as Indian nationals can apply for a visa with ease online.
Source:gulf-times.com
