Qatar re-launches Hayya platform

Qatar Tourism has launched the Hayya Platform and its application via smartphones to become the single portal for all tourist and business visas to Qatar.

Taking place with immediate effect, the launch of the well-known Hayya Platform – which allowed the entry of over a million visitors during the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 tournament – will unify visa processes for tourists, GCC residents, and companions traveling with GCC citizens (who are issued an ‘Authorisation Electronic Travel’ permit).

Tourists who require a visa to enter Qatar can apply through the Hayya Platform at www.hayya.qa, or through the application on their smartphones, and visit Doha, the Arab Tourism Capital of 2023.

In addition, Hayya holders will enjoy seamless travel and connectivity into Qatar as Hayya will be enabled for e-gate entry at Hamad International Airport. For those entering Qatar via land at the Abu Samra border, the Hayya Platform will provide a pre-registration option for faster entry for vehicles, making the start of a weekend getaway or longer stay in Qatar even smoother and more enjoyable.

For GCC nationals, the Platform provides an option to apply for an entry permit for companions. The Hayya Platform also provides further services that help round out a visitor’s stay, including maps, transportation options, offers, and current events.

Chairman of Qatar Tourism and Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker said: “Qatar’s national tourism strategy seeks to welcome over six million visitors a year by 2030. Already, Qatar is considered the most open country in terms of visa facilitation in the Middle East and the 8th most open globally, with more than 95 nationalities granted visas on arrival. We are pleased that the latest developments will further cement Qatar’s position as a leading tourism destination and will provide the opportunity for even more travelers to experience the country’s truly unique touristic offering.”

Saeed Ali al Kuwari, CEO of the Hayya Platform, said, “The re-launch of the Haya Platform in its new form today is an extension of the strategic vision that the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy had previously developed, a vision that centers on the sustainable legacy of the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022.

Previously, the Hayya card allowed fans from around the world to enter Qatar to watch their favorite teams during the world’s biggest football event. Today, the Hayya Platform is the legacy which we build upon, inviting visitors from all corners of the earth to visit our country and enjoy its authenticity, history, culture, hospitality, natural beauty, and much more.”

Following the unprecedented success of the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022, Qatar has continued to welcome record-breaking numbers of tourists in the first quarter of this year. The country’s authentic culture, abundant natural beauty, and world-class hospitality and leisure venues were experienced directly by international visitors during the world’s biggest sporting event late last year and witnessed by billions more remotely.