Football fans arriving at Doha’s Hamad International Airport (HIA) for the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 (12 Jan – 10 Feb) can celebrate long before kickoff courtesy of the operator and Qatar Airways.
A dedicated fan zone and activations will offer an immersive experience to passengers, who can avail of a range of amenities such as shops, F&B outlets, foreign exchange services, ATMs and purchase local sim cards in the arrivals hall.
Departing passengers can visit Orchard, the arresting indoor tropical garden and commercial precinct housed within the central concourse area of the North Plaza, or enjoy local Qatari culture and customs at the recently unveiled Souq Al Matar, home to seven shops and two restaurants.
The 18th edition of the football tournament will host twenty four of the continent’s leading teams that will compete in 51 matches in stadiums across Qatar.
Raising the Asian football ‘fan factor’
Flag carrier Qatar Airways (QR) has partnered with the Asian Football Confederation to transform the fan experience at Asian football competitions over the coming years, including at the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023.
HIA says it is drawing on its knowledge of hosting the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 to bolster the arrivals experience for visitors to the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 by optimising communications with stakeholders.
This includes collaborating with transportation providers to ensure efficiencies on routes to and from the airport and the football stadiums.
In addition, passengers that have a transit time of more than eight hours have the option to complement their visit to Qatar by booking a Doha city tour through Qatar Airways’ destination management company Discover Qatar.
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