Hotels hosting sports teams, referees and VIPs have been asked to bolster security and limit entries during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
New rules state that only staying guests will be able to enter specific properties as the government looks to avoid drawing crowds into hotels. A total of 32 teams will descend on Qatar for the biggest sporting event the Middle East has ever seen, you can see where they are staying here.
Non-staying guests during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 won’t be allowed to enter hotels outside of their own. It is well-known that booking a hotel room has been difficult for the sporting event.
A circular from Qatar Tourism has informed hotel GMs that non-ticket holders will not be allowed in the building in a bid “to avoid gatherings in hotel lobbies and facilities.”
The circular states that entry into hotels is not permitted except for guests of establishments and who have prior room reservations. This includes access to hotel restaurants, cafes, clubs, ballrooms and meeting rooms.
These instructions begin a week prior to the date of accommodating the sport teams, FIFA referees and VIPs, said the government.
FIFA World Cup rooms centred in Qatar
In April this year, FIFA president Gianni Infantino told Reuters “there will be accommodation for everyone” during the World Cup, adding that fans should consider visiting nearby GCC states, too.
Colliers later released a report predicting the sporting event will cause a ripple effect for tourism and hospitality in nearby countries, especially the UAE.
Responding to whether such a ‘halo effect’ will be seen for wider GCC tourism, chief operating officer of Qatar Tourism Berthold Trenkel said: “From the nearby destinations, we might have some people who just fly in for the match and fly back after the match. There will be some of that.”
Those seeking accommodation in the city must do so through https://www.qatar2022.qa/book/en/. They must also be ticket holders.