Qatar Tourism Pitches Doha Cruises at ICS Madrid 2026
At the International Cruise Summit in Madrid, Omar Abdulrahman Al Jaber set out why cruise lines should plan Gulf itineraries around Doha.
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Qatar Tourism used this year’s International Cruise Summit in Madrid, held on 10 and 11 November, to make a clear pitch to the world’s cruise lines: plan your Gulf itineraries around Doha. Omar Abdulrahman Al Jaber, Chief of Operations Affairs at Qatar Tourism, took the stage on 10 November for a session titled Destination in the Spotlight, and Visit Qatar sponsored the summit.
For travellers, the message matters because cruise schedules are set years ahead. The decisions cruise lines make in meetings like these decide where ships call in 2028 and beyond, and Qatar wants Doha on more of those maps as both a port of call and a homeport.
What Qatar said in Madrid
Al Jaber spoke in conversation with Virginia López Valiente, founder and chief executive of Cruises News Media Group and the International Cruise Summit, covering Qatar’s tourism development, its direction and what it offers passengers, operators and partners. His central point was timing. “Cruise deployment is planned years ahead, which is why we continue to work closely with cruise lines and partners today,” he said, adding that Qatar wants to explore future deployment and itinerary opportunities that bring more travellers to the country.
The delegation included representatives from Old Doha Port and fellow members of the Cruise Arabia Alliance, and spent the two days in meetings with cruise lines. We read that as a sign of intent: Qatar did not come to Madrid simply to sponsor a lanyard.
Why Doha works for cruise travellers
We have long thought Doha is underrated as a cruise stop, and the numbers Qatar presented support that view. Hamad International Airport and Qatar Airways, which serves more than 170 destinations, make it simple to fly in before a sailing or fly out after one. More than 42,000 hotel rooms give passengers plenty of choice for a stay either side of the voyage.
The city’s compact size is its other strength. Within a single port call, a passenger can see the Museum of Islamic Art and the souqs, have lunch on the waterfront, spend an afternoon on a beach and still reach the desert. Few ports in the region allow that range in one day. Qatar says it is also reviewing entry and immigration procedures and improving port operations, working with Doha Port and Qatar Airways, to make embarkation and disembarkation faster.
A regional play
Qatar joined the Cruise Arabia Alliance in 2025, and its participation in Madrid supports the alliance’s aim of positioning the Gulf as a leading cruise region, with multi destination itineraries that link several countries in one voyage. For the passenger, that means a single winter sailing could combine Doha with other Gulf ports, an appealing alternative to the Mediterranean in the cooler months.
The push also sits within Qatar’s National Tourism Strategy 2030, which aims to strengthen the country’s position as an international destination and broaden what it offers visitors. Organised by Cruises News Media Group, ICS Madrid brings together senior executives from cruise lines, port authorities, destinations and the maritime industry, which makes it the right room for that conversation.
Key facts
- Event: International Cruise Summit, Madrid, 10 and 11 November 2026
- Speaker: Omar Abdulrahman Al Jaber, Chief of Operations Affairs, Qatar Tourism
- Connectivity: Qatar Airways to more than 170 destinations via Hamad International Airport
- Hotel stock: more than 42,000 rooms
- Regional alliance: Cruise Arabia Alliance, joined 2025
Imagery courtesy of Qatar Tourism.