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Qatar Airways announces a new long-term partnership with the GKA Kite World Tour to become the Title Partner of the World Tour and the Official Airline Partner through to 2024
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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
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New world-class kite beach resort in Fuwairit, Qatar to open later this year
Official release:
31 May 2022
DOHA, Qatar β 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 Airwaysβ global destinations including: Brazil, Germany, Maldives, Morocco, and Spain.
Qatar Tourism, the Official 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: βKitesurfing 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.β
βThereβs no better partner for the Kite World Tour than Qatar Airways, who share our passion for travel, sustainability, exploration, creativity, adventure seeking and competition,β said Dr. JΓΆrgen Vogt, Secretary General of the Global Kitesports Association. βQatar 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,β he added.
WORLD CLASS BEACH RESORT TO OPEN SOON IN DOHA!
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.
2022 – NEW BEGINNINGS
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 β and will include the Qatar Airways GKA Awards ceremony and the Visit Qatar Kite Expo.
The GKAβs 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.
QATAR AIRWAYS
A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was announced as the βAirline of the Yearβ at the 2021 World Airline Awards, managed by the international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax. It was also named βWorldβs Best Business Classβ, βWorldβs Best Business Class Airline Loungeβ, βWorldβs Best Business Class Airline Seatβ, βWorldβs Best Business Class Onboard Cateringβ and βBest Airline in the Middle Eastβ. 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 airlineβs 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 βBest Airport in the Worldβ by Skytrax World Airport Awards 2021.
GKA KITE WORLD TOUR WOULD LIKE TO THANK:
The GKA Kite World Tour would like to sincerely thank all the riders, competitors, brands and organisations who have supported the tour on its exciting journey so far since 2016. We very much look forward to a bright future and fresh opportunities thanks to this exciting partnership over the coming months and years.
The GKA Kite World Tour would like to also extend a special thank you to the small group of riders and specialist media who came to be part of this special signature ceremony in Doha:
Athletes:
Bruna Kajiya (BRA)
James Carew (AUS)
Aaron Hadlow (GBR)
Reno Romeu (BRA)
Maxime Chabloz (CHE)
Nick Jacobsen (DEN)
Charles Brodel (FRA)
Hannah Whiteley (GBR)
Paula Novotna (CZE)
Alina Frobischer (DEU)
Media:
Mintautas Grigas
Ricardo Pinto
Rou Chater
Alex Hapgood
About Qatar Tourism
Qatar Tourism is the official government body responsible for the development and promotion of tourism in Qatar, facilitating the sectorβs 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: www.visitqatar.qa
Twitter: @VisitQatar
