Last summer, Hassan Al Thawadi, secretary general of the Organization and Legacy Committee, assured that the World Cup “will serve as a motor to promote and accelerate many of the initiatives with which the government has already committed and had already planned, either in terms of urban development or economic diversification”. As for tickets, the organizers of Qatar 2022 reported that more than 1.2 million tickets have been sold. The most recent phase of ticket sales, a random selection draw, closed at the end of April with 23.5 million ticket requests coming mostly from Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Mexico, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United States, according to FIFA.
“I think about 1.2 million tickets have already been bought. So people are buying and excited to come,” said Hassan Al Thawadi, secretary general of Qatar’s Supreme Organizing Committee. In total, there will be 2 million tickets available during the 28-day tournament, in November and December, he said. The next World Cup ticket opportunity will be on a first-come, first-served basis, but the date has yet to be announced.
Concern
Qatar estimates that it will welcome 1.2 million tourists during the championship. This will mean that, for a month, it will increase its population by 43%, up to 4 million. Organizers are working to prevent fans from being priced out, and while the local business community should benefit, the tournament has to be affordable and accessible to fans, Al Thawadi told the Qatar Economic Forum hosted by Bloomberg.
A major concern has been the cost and availability of accommodation in the Gulf Arab state, which has fewer than 30,000 hotel rooms, according to the latest estimates from Qatar Tourism. 80% of those rooms are currently allocated to FIFA guests, organizers said. “In terms of availability, we have tried to make sure that we offer different offers in different categories. From the most affordable, ranging between 80 and 100 dollars per night, to the most expensive, in terms of five-star hotels”, explained Al Thawadi.
Qatar has boosted non-hotel accommodation, making 65,000 rooms in villas and apartments available to fans, and some 4,000 rooms on two cruise ships docked in the port of Doha. The reduced estimate of the economic impact of the World Cup comes as fears persist about Qatar’s suitability as host. Human rights abuses and diplomatic concerns have been directed against the country and FIFA,
Source: Ambito
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