As part of the football World Cup in Qatar, many foreign fans will get to know alternative accommodation: they will sleep on ships and also in tents. Hotel rooms are scarce in the desert state with a few million inhabitants. That's why fans are flown in and out to games.
Thousands of football fans should be able to find accommodation during the World Cup in Qatar (November 21 to December 18) in tents and through "airlifts" to friendly neighboring countries. Omar al-Jaber from the leading Supreme Committee for the organization of the mega event confirmed these plans of the World Cup organizers. "This is real camping," Al-Jaber explained the ulterior motives behind the consideration of the tent project, "we should also let people experience the desert in a Bedouin-style tent."
Accordingly, the idea should be discussed within the next two weeks. Tents are provided for the general public, which are connected to the water and electricity supply but have no air conditioning. About 200 tents on the coastal beach in southern Qatar near the desert are said to be somewhat more luxurious.
The tent plans are also a response to public debates about the potential for the crowds of spectators expected to overwhelm the Qatari hotel industry during the World Cup finals. "We will be able to offer over 100,000 rooms for overnight stays at the World Cup," assured Al-Jaber. The construction of several hotels is still not complete. Accommodations in special fan villages, apartment complexes and huts are planned for foreign World Cup tourists. In addition, fans from other countries are to be accommodated on two hotel ships.
The accommodation capacity in the small Gulf state is likely to be at least very tight during the World Cup tournament. The situation is further exacerbated by the large number of block bookings by officials of the world governing body FIFA, the convoys of participating countries and legions of media representatives.
This is another reason why some World Cup tourists could get to know completely different countries than Qatar: The World Cup organizers have agreed up to 160 daily shuttle flights with neighboring Gulf states, through which foreign World Cup visitors are to be flown to booked games in Qatar.
