Qatar’s Hamad International Airport (HIA) has said the first phase of its expansion project has been completed, leading to the opening of Orchard, an indoor tropical garden with a water feature and a second airport hotel.
In a statement, HIA said that with Phase A of the expansion now complete and running, work will start on Phase B from early next year. When completed, the project will boost the airport’s capacity to more than 70m passengers.
Badr Mohammed Al Meer, Chief Operating Officer, said the airport’s growth plan will see it welcome more than 58m passengers annually, and would offer travellers the best services the industry has to offer.
In mid-October 2022, Knight Frank said Qatar’s hospitality sector would grow by 89% by 2025 and, later in the month, Dar Al Arkan began sales of apartments at the $275mn Les Vagues residences by ELIE SAAB in Qatar.
He added that the expansion will now enable travellers to transfer from one area to another seamlessly, as the airport will consist of one expansive terminal. Furthermore, the enhanced retail offering will include a selection of luxury boutiques including the first Dior Boutique at HIA, the only FIFA shop in the world, the only Thom Brown store in an airport, and the largest RayBan store in an airport. Other flagship brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Burberry, and Tiffany & Co will also have a presence at the airport.
Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, stated, “We are very pleased to be launching the expansion of Hamad International Airport, an airport that has truly grown to become the ultimate example of a successful, sustainable global facility. HIA continues to impress with its innovative planning, execution and investment – enhancing its position as the preferred hub for global travellers and reinforcing HIA’s position amongst the top leaders of this industry.”
“The opening of our newly expanded terminal further connects the growing number of travellers to all corners of the world, enriching people’s experiences and proudly representing the State of Qatar’s rich culture and prestige.”
Later in October 2022, Qatar Tourism announced over two dozen new tourist facilities would open ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and, in early November 2022, Acciona Cultura said it had delivered the Lusail Museum exhibition in Doha.
Furthermore, as part of the overall expansion, HIA has launched a second airport hotel within its transfer area. The Oryx Garden Hotel is a 100-room hotel focusing on sustainability, with rooms ranging from king to twin, as well as suites strategically located minutes away from boarding gates. As part of the expansion program, four new lounges have been created for passengers to unwind and relax, the statement added.
Sustainability is at the core of the expansion plans, HIA stated, pointing out that four of the expansion projects have received a four-star rating under the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) from Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (GORD).