Doha, QATAR – Qatar Airways Holidays is gearing up for the peak 2004/2005 holiday booking season with a raft of promotional offers to new destinations served by parent company Qatar Airways.

As the holiday arm of one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, Qatar Airways Holidays has reported a 104% per cent increase on the number of passengers carried so far this year over the 2003 levels.

Qatar Airways Holidays is entering the winter booking season for New Year, Christmas and Eid Al Adha in buoyant mood on the back of a sharp increase in passenger bookings.

With new scheduled flights to destinations such as Beijing and Seychelles, and additional flights to existing destinations offered by Qatar Airways, the choice of holidays has widened to provide greater options.

Package holiday prices to Beijing, the political, economic and cultural capital of the People’s Republic of China, start at QAR 4,920, while trips to the idyllic Indian Ocean islands of the Seychelles lead in from QAR 4,135 per person.

Both packages include return economy flights with Qatar Airways from Doha, bed and breakfast accommodation for 3 nights, hotel taxes, service charges, transfers and a free city tour.

The diverse and tranquil settings of the Seychelles, made up of 115 islands scattered over 1 million square kilometres, provides holidaymakers with a perfect place to relax and unwind in the Indian Ocean.
Beijing is the gateway to The Great Wall of China, one of the Eight Wonders of the World, and home to the magnificent imperial palace complex of the Forbidden City.
Qatar Airways Holidays currently offers city and resort breaks, honeymoon packages and flights and accommodation-only to 74 destinations in 42 countries worldwide.

These include far-flung Asian destinations such as Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and India, together with European centres such as London, Paris, Barcelona and Prague. And there are a variety of value-for-money packages available closer to home in the Middle East.

Qatar Airways flies to 56 destinations worldwide from Doha, with a further 14 routes set to join the expanding network by the end of 2005.

To celebrate the expansion, Qatar Airways Holidays has put together several new packages to give customers an opportunity to sample Qatar Airways’ award-winning Five Star service – one of only three airlines in the world to have earned such recognition for quality and excellence.


Other packages include:

Winter Family Fun Europe: Family fun in the snow at selected locations in Switzerland and Austria. A fairy tale Alpine landscape full of resorts that offer skiing, snowboarding, hiking, skating and plenty of Christmas shopping. Holiday packages start from QAR 3,915 per person (based on two people travelling) inclusive of economy class air ticket on Qatar Airways and 3 nights accommodation.

Incredible India: Following Qatar Airways’ tripling of capacity between Doha and India to 51 flights a week, Qatar Airways Holidays is offering new itineraries to explore ‘Incredible India.’ These cover a breadth of cultural, historical and simply relaxing breaks. Kerala, in south India, the original home of the traditional holistic system of medicine and health care, is also featured with a choice of packages ranging from 3 to 7 nights. Prices start at QAR 3,835 per person sharing (based on two people travelling) inclusive of economy air ticket on Qatar Airways and 5 nights accommodation.

Fly drives UK, Paris: Qatar Airways Holidays has joined forces with leading car rental companies in the UK and Paris to offer day- or week-long packages. Cars can be conveniently picked up at London Gatwick, London Heathrow or Charles De Gaulle in Paris with options to drop off at airports or city locations in the same city without extra charge. Packages start from QAR 2,960 per person (based on 2 people travelling) inclusive of economy class air ticket on Qatar Airways and 7 days car hire.


Lyndon Mendonca, head of Qatar Airways Holidays, said the rapid growth of Qatar Airways with several new destinations added each year, meant a greater choice of holiday options being offered to leisure travellers.

“We offer more than just flights to a particular destination – Qatar Airways Holidays covers an entire country where we fly to, providing a real mix of beach holidays and city centre stays,” he said.

“Customers can book a wide range of holidays staying in budget hotels or luxury deluxe five-star properties, and at the time of booking, can book their sightseeing tours at the most attractive rates.”

He added: “Qatar Airways Holidays uses quality operators on the ground in the destinations we sell holidays to, in keeping with the high standards of service and quality offered by Qatar Airways.”

Two-centre breaks in the Far East have proved to be among the best selling holiday packages. The Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur linked with Penang or Langkawi, and Bangkok, capital of Thailand, combined with Pattaya or Phuket, are among the top sellers, said Mendonca.

One of the key selling points of Qatar Holidays is a free city tour – whether customers book a holiday to London, Paris, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore, each is offered a complimentary sightseeing experience.
Customers can choose their holidays by browsing through the Qatar Airways Holidays brochure, available through travel agents or the dedicated walk-in shop located at Qatar Airways Towers on Airport Road in Doha.

The shop is a Qatar Airways Holidays branded booking centre where customers can get full information from experienced sales advisers and search for their ideal break through the Internet. For their convenience, customers have free access to PCs in the shop and can enjoy a beverage at the on-site Costa Coffee concession.

For those customers undecided which holiday to book, they can choose from a wide ranging destination video library in the comfort of an Arabic hospitality suite inside the shop to help them decide.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said: “Qatar Airways is really spreading its reach to exciting new destinations to cater for growing demand from a diverse group of travellers.”

“In line with this growth, Qatar Airways Holidays is also rapidly developing to provide a comprehensive range of holidays to the discerning traveller.”

In January 2005, the vibrant commercial hub of Johannesburg and the leisure retreat of Cape Town provide Qatar Airways with its first foray in Southern Africa, while Yangon, capital of Myanmar in Southeast Asia, offers breathtaking beauty and scenery and the latest destinations served by the airline in the region.