Qatar hotels say visa rules should be scrapped

Hoteliers here yesterday called for scrapping the recent changes in tourist visa rules to encourage more people to visit Qatar.
"The recent modifications in the rules will, in the long term, affect the burgeoning tourism sector in Qatar," a Doha hotel executive, who requested anonymity, told Gulf News.
"The effect of the changes are not felt by the hotels now because of the (Organisation of Islamic Conference) summit, but they will tell on our business once it is over," he added.
Almost all hotels in Doha have been booked for the summit when tens of leaders and thousands of their entourages, officials and represenatvies or international organisations arrive for the summit starting November 12-14.
According to the changes issued by the Department of Passports, Naturalisation and Residence Permits last month, people coming to Qatar on a tourist visa will have to wait for two months before they can return to the country. The rule applies to all professions. Previously, a person could make a return visit at any time. The tourist visa, given for a week, is also not being extended now.
"We hope the changes are temporary and the re-entry restriction will be lifted after Ramadan," the finance manager of a medium-range hotel in the Doha city centre said.
"The government claims it wants to encourage tourism but these type of changes are having the reverse effect," he added.
Hotel industry source said it is the medium-range hotels that would be affected most by the re-entry restriction on tourists.
"But for them also the Islamic summit and the Milipol 2000 (to be held after the summit) exhibition have brought very good business and they are not complaining now." The real test for them will come after these two events, they said.
Qatar issues three types of visas to temporary visitors to the state, Siyaha Mahrajan (Festival Tourist Visa), Siyaha (Tourist Visa) and business visa.
In case of Festival Tourist visas, citizens and residents with valid residence permits can sponsor visitors to the state, the only condition being that they come to Doha by Qatar Airways.
The second category of tourist visas is arranged by hotels and there is no restriction on the carrier the visitor travels to Doha. Both visas cost 105 Qatari riyals (Dh105).
The business visa, which is not covered by the new rule, is issued to businessmen who are sponsored by companies and establishments in Qatar. The fee for this category is 305 riyals (Dh305).
The finance manager of the hotel believed the changes had been introduced because of the OIC summit as a measure to reduce the bookings during the period. "If that is the case "we expect a reversion to old rules after this month," he said.
Kumudu Fonseka, the deputy general manager of Doha's Sofitel Hotel, also believed the measure to be a temporary one. "But either way it will not have any big impact on major hotels in Qatar as business travellers constitute the major chunk of their clients, and not tourists," he said.