
An ambitious tourism masterplan that will guide a QR54.6 billion ($15 billion) investment into an array of prestigious projects and establish Qatar as a high-quality destination for cultural-tourism, beach resorts, shopping, lifestyle, business and sports events, was launched recently.
The new masterplan includes the construction of:
- Eight new four and five-star hotels that will add more than 2,550 rooms to the country’s room availability;
- A 32 sq km North Beach Development, which will include 10 resort hotels, two golf courses, 3,000 villas, 12,000 apartments, 300,000 sq m of retail shopping, and six million sq m of commercial space;
- A four-sq km Pearl Island – the opening of which is planned for September 2006;
- A 45,000 sq m Museum of Islamic Arts on the edge of Doha Harbour. The museum will open in 2006;
- A landmark National Library on the foreshore of Doha’s picturesque corniche, designed by Japanese architect Isozaki. The library will open in 2006;
- A new photography museum, on Doha’s corniche, which will open in 2007;
- A redeveloped Qatar National Museum that will showcase the rich cultural history and heritage of Qatar. The museum will re-open in 2006;
- The Al Fareej Resort near the town of Al Khor, 40 km north of Doha. Construction is due to begin in 2005; and
- A modern-styled luxury Al Mafjar Resort built around a natural breakwater and lagoon. Work is due to begin in 2005.
It also includes the development of a large public beach area at Al Sumaisma, 20 km north of Doha, which is currently being designed; a comprehensive plan to conserve and promote Qatar’s historic forts; the development of new and redevelopment of existing sports facilities that will allow Qatar to become a major centre for international sports.
The master plan also includes a new international gateway to Qatar – the new $5 billion Doha International Airport, which will be a state-of-the-art airport and create an impressive doorway to Qatar.
The new airport will open in 2008 and by the time it is fully developed in 2015, will have an annual capacity of 50 million passengers allowing Qatar Airways’ continued growth.
The first phase of the project, will create a new airport with a passenger capacity of 12 million a year. The airport will feature two runways, built mostly on reclaimed land, Bechtel said.
Bechtel was awarded the engineering, procurement, construction and management contract for the new Doha International Airport at the beginning of this year after completing the master plan last year.
The first phase will see construction of two runways and a 140,000 sq m airport terminal. Land reclamation for the airport will begin by September. Upon completion, the airport will have 80 contact gates, 11 remote gates and 416,000 sq m of built-up area.