Doha: Executive Director of Housing Department at Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) Omar Al Jaber yesterday said fans arriving for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will have multiple choices to pick their accommodation during the prestigious competition.
Qatar is expected to receive around 1.5 million fans from across the world during the November 21 to December 18 tournament – the first in the Arab world and the Middle East.
“The official platform of accommodation will provide multiple options to fans during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 such as existing hotels in the country, residential units like villas, flats offered under real estate projects like Barwa,” Al Jaber told Qatar Radio.
“In addition, there will be floating hotels – two giant five-starred cruise ships stationed at Doha Port and four fan villages with a possibility to add more at different places. Other accommodation options are homes of relatives and friends of the fans,” he added.
The official stated that a team is assigned to follow up with the hotels and residential units to ensure their readiness on time and coordinate with partners to make all these housing facilities ready for fans.
“Four fans’ villages will be located at Al Qetaifan Island in Lusail, area close to Mall of Qatar, area near Qatar University and Qatar Fee Zone near Metro Station. Fans villages will be special in a way that they will host more associated activities having play areas, restaurants and giant screens.”
Al Jaber added: “Within accommodation options temporary facilities are being provided such as floating hotels, fans’ villages and involving the community to rent out vacant homes to fans in cooperation with Qatar Tourism to avoid huge oversupply of housing after the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.”
“Due to geographical location of Qatar, fans will not need to make booking for accommodation at more than one area. The accommodation at one place for a fan will not need huge number of residential facilities,” he added.
Al Jaber informed that more fans’ villages are expected to be added and the plan to utilise them after the World Cup will be announced later.
“The official platform for booking accommodation offers multiple options which would not be available at international platforms like booking for the floating hotels.” However, he said that some options will be available at international platforms for booking such as hotels and vacant homes.
Source: The Peninsula, Qatar
