Qatar’s Grand Cruise Terminal and ORCHARD named “Best New Ways to Travel” for 2023

Doha: The Grand Cruise Terminal in Old Doha Port and the ‘ORCHARD’ in Hamad International Airport has been recognized as two of “The Best New Ways to Travel This Year” by the renowned magazine, Condé Nast Traveler. 

On the 27th edition of its Hot List, the magazine highlighted both places as some of the most notable transportation projects this year. 

In this category, Condé Nast Traveler pointed out the Grand Cruise Terminal’s impressive ability to welcome 12,000 passengers a day and host two mega-ships simultaneously. It also featured the terminal’s Arabian architectural design, as well as the seamless services and top-notch facilities offered. Not to mention an escalator that takes the passengers for a unique and thrilling passage surrounded by the region’s largest aquarium. 

The Grand Cruise Terminal is sprawled in the newly renovated Doha Port, built to boost cruise tourism. Recently, Doha Port achieved a record in cruise traffic with 273,666 passengers and crew, registering a growth of 166% over the previous season. The 2022-2023 cruise season also received 55 cruise ship calls, a 62% increase from last season, with 6 ships making their maiden call to Qatar. 

Photo by Joelyn Baluyut/ The Peninsula

On the other hand, the ORCHARD, which is the main attraction in the Phase A expansion project of Hamad International Airport, also gained praise for its large indoor green space. The ORCHARD is a 6,000 sqm indoor tropical garden with 300 trees and 25,000 plants sourced from sustainable forests around the world. It is complemented by a 575 sqm water feature.

This is just the beginning of HIA’s expansion plans with Phase B set to commence this year. The Phase A expansion which was launched in November increased the airport’s capacity to 58 million passengers from 40 million.

Photo by Joelyn Baluyut/ The Peninsula

The Grand Cruise Terminal and the ORCHARD are just two of the prominent projects unveiled before the FIFA World Cup last year when football fans from around the globe arrived in Qatar using all available means of travel.  

Several other locations and establishments in Qatar were also recognized in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2023 Hot List. These include the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), recognized in “The Best New Museums in the World: 2023 Hot List”, and The Ned Doha in “The Best New Hotels in the World: 2023 Hot List”.

The Peninsula Newspaper. “Qatar’s Grand Cruise Terminal and ORCHARD Named ‘Best New Ways to Travel’ for 2023.” Thepeninsulaqatar.com, April 27, 2023. https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/27/04/2023/qatars-grand-cruise-terminal-and-orchard-named-best-new-ways-to-travel-for-2023.