Qatar Airways Takes Flight with the GKA Kite World Tour

31 May 2022

Qatar Airways announces a new long-term partnership with the GKA Kite World Tour to become the Title Partner and Official Airline  of the World Tour through to 2024

Qatar Tourism becomes Official Tourism Partner of the Kite World Tour, with two major events to be held in Qatar in 2023 and the finals in 2024

New world-class kite beach resort in Fuwairit, Qatar to open later this year

DOHA, Qatar – In its goal to bring communities together through sport, Qatar Airways is expanding its sports sponsorship portfolio to become the Title Partner and Official Airline of the GKA Kite World Tour for three years. The exciting partnership combines the skies and the seas to celebrate one of the fastest growing and most exhilarating new sports.

The GKA Kite World Tour visits many of Qatar Airways’ global destinations including: Brazil, Germany, Maldives, Morocco, and Spain. For more information on the Qatar Airways GKA World Tour schedule, please click visit gkakiteworldtour.com.

Qatar Tourism, the Official Tourism Partner of the Kite World Tour, looks forward to welcoming fans from around the world to experience a unique offering in 2023, during the Visit Qatar Freestyle World Cup, which will be hosted at the new state-of-the-art kite beach resort in Fuwairit.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, and Qatar Tourism Chairman, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “Kitesurfing is a travel sport where adventure seekers compete in beautiful destinations across many continents around the world. At Qatar Airways, we are proud to support this growing sport and become the preferred airline for athletes and fans travelling to GKA events all around the globe including Qatar, our home country, to experience something new and exciting.”

“There’s no better partner for the Kite World Tour than Qatar Airways, who share our passion for travel, sustainability, exploration, creativity, adventure seeking and competition,” said Dr. Jörgen Vogt, Secretary General of the Global Kitesports Association. “Qatar is quickly becoming the global heart of sport, and we are excited to bring our World Tour opening and Finals to this epicentre in 2023,” he added.

As part of the commitment to this new and exciting partnership, a new world-class kite beach resort is set to open in Fuwairit in the near future.  Located in the northeast of Qatar, the natural gem is a renowned and ideal destination for beachgoers.

To kick-off the new partnership, Qatar Airways will visit Tarifa, Spain, this June for the Qatar Airways Big Air World Championships. The 16-day event is the first of its kind in kitesports – and will include the Qatar Airways GKA Awards ceremony and the Visit Qatar Kite Expo.

The GKA’s mission is to develop kitesurfing and other kite sports by making them more accessible while bringing world-class competition to every corner of the world. This includes creating world championship events for freestyle, kite-surf, hydrofoil freestyle, and big air disciplines. There are currently three million active kiters in the world, and that number is increasing quickly as more and more people discover the thrill of the sport.

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was announced as the ‘Airline of the Year’ at the 2021 World Airline Awards, managed by the international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax. It was also named ‘World’s Best Business Class’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Airline Seat’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Onboard Catering’ and ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’. The airline continues to stand alone at the top of the industry having won the main prize for an unprecedented sixth time (2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021).

Qatar Airways also became the first global airline in the world to achieve the prestigious 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating by Skytrax. This follows the success of Hamad International Airport as the first airport in the Middle East and Asia to be awarded a Skytrax 5-Star COVID-19 Airport Safety Rating. These awards provide assurance to passengers across the world that the airline’s health and safety measures are subject to the highest possible standards of professional, independent scrutiny and assessment.

Qatar Airways currently flies to more than 140 destinations worldwide, connecting through its Doha hub, Hamad International Airport, currently named the ‘Best Airport in the World” by Skytrax World Airport Awards 2021.

About Qatar Tourism

Qatar Tourism is the official government body responsible for the development and promotion of tourism in Qatar, facilitating the sector’s exponential growth. Qatar is a destination where people of the world come together to experience unique offerings in arts, culture, sports, and adventure, catering to family and business visitors, rooted in Service Excellence. Qatar Tourism seeks to boost the entire tourism value chain, grow local and international visitor demand, attract inward investment, and drive a multiplier effect across the domestic economy. The Qatar Tourism Strategy 2030 sets an ambitious target to attract over six million international visitors a year by 2030, making Qatar the fastest growing destination in the Middle East.

Web: visitqatar.com

Twitter: @VisitQatar

Instagram: @VisitQatar