Month: March 2022

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CORONAVIRUS/Taiwan reports 163 new COVID-19 cases, including 56 domestic

Taiwan reported 163 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday — 56 domestically transmitted and 107 that originated abroad — and no new deaths from the disease, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).

Most of the new domestic cases have been linked to known clusters recently identified around Taiwan, including a cluster in Keelung involving police officers and a karaoke bar, for which 13 new cases were reported Wednesday, and a cluster linked to Datan Power Plant in Taoyuan, which saw 12 new cases Wednesday, according to the CECC.

But the sources of infections in 14 cases, which are residents of New Taipei, Taipei, Taoyuan, and Keelung, were still being investigated, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (???) said at a press briefing.

Of the domestic cases, three are children under the age of 10, who are not eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in Taiwan; three individuals were unvaccinated; two received one dose of the Moderna vaccine; and one received a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, according to the CECC.

The vaccination status in one case was still being looked into, while the other patients had received either two or three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, the CECC said.

Meanwhile, 107 new imported cases were recorded Wednesday, and 53 of them were travelers who tested positive on arrival in Taiwan, Chen said.

The CECC did not release any information regarding the vaccination status of the imported cases.

To date, Taiwan has confirmed 23,155 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began in early 2020, including 15,782 domestically transmitted infections.

With no deaths reported Wednesday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 fatalities in the country remained at 853.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

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Taiwan mixed doubles pair reaches semifinals at WTT Doha tournament

Taiwan’s Lin Yun-ju (???) and Cheng I-ching (???) routed their opponents in a quick three-set match on Tuesday to reach the mixed doubles semifinals of the 2022 World Table Tennis Star Contender tournament in Doha, Qatar.

The world No. 1 mixed doubles duo defeated Austria’s Daniel Habesohn and Sofia Polcanova 11-3, 11-4, 11-8 in 17 minutes in their semifinal in Lusail Sports Arena.

The Taiwanese dominated the match throughout, never trailing by more than two points, while taking advantage of their opponents’ errors to go on six-point streaks in the first and second games.

With their victory, Lin and Cheng will advance to the semifinals, where they will face the world No. 8 pairing of Ovidiu Ionescu and Bernadette Szocs of Romania on Wednesday.

In addition to Lin and Cheng, another five Taiwanese singles players or doubles pairings won their matches on Tuesday to advance to the next round of competition.

In women’s doubles, two teams — Cheng I-ching and Li Yu-zhun (???), and Huang Yi-hua (???) and Chen Szu-yu (???) — advanced to the semifinals on opposite sides of the bracket, setting up a possible all-Taiwan final if both win their matches on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Lin Yun-ju and Liao Cheng-ting (???) advanced to the semifinals in the men’s doubles event, while Lin Yun-ju and Chen Szu-yu made it through to the quarterfinals in the men’s and women’s singles competitions.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

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Taiwan shares end up 1.09%

Taiwan shares closed up 191.90 points, or 1.09 percent, at 17,740.56 Wednesday on turnover of NT$297.31 billion (US$10.40 billion).

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

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Taiwan shares end sharply higher on eased geopolitical concerns

Shares in Taiwan moved sharply higher Wednesday as reports of Moscow pledging to “drastically reduce” military activity near the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Chernihiv eased the nerves of some investors, dealers said.

The bellwether electronics sector was among the sectors that stood out, following a rally among tech stocks on the U.S. markets overnight when the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.99 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 1.84 percent, they said.

The Taiex, the Taiwan Stock Exchange’s benchmark weighted index, ended up 191.90 points, or 1.09 percent, at 17,740.56, after moving between 17,572.90 and 17,770.07. Turnover totaled NT$297.31 billion (US$10.40 billion).

Tech-led rally

The market opened up 0.14 percent and select large cap semiconductor stocks, in particular contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), attracted strong interest the rest of the session.

After Russia agreed to reduce its military action against Ukraine, “markets at home and abroad largely had faith that the regional political situation was moving in a positive direction,” MasterLink Securities analyst Tom Tang said.

“While the electronics sector led the broader market higher, the spotlight was on TSMC, which had been in the doldrums for some time,” Tang said. “The stock contributed about 100 points on its own to the Taiex’s increase today.”

TSMC, the most heavily weighted stock in the local market, rose 1.87 percent to close at NT$600.00. Led by TSMC, the electronics sector rose 1.25 percent, and the semiconductor sub-index was up 1.56 percent.

“The buying in the electronics sector showed concerns were easing that a rate hike cycle launched by the U.S. Federal Reserve last week would further undermine tech stocks,” Tang said.

“More and more, investors have recognized the rate increases are a necessary way to take on rising inflation.”

Underperformers

Among other semiconductor stocks, United Microelectronics Corp., a smaller contract chipmaker, rose 1.49 percent to end at NT$54.50, and power management IC designer Silergy Corp. gained 2.69 percent to close at NT$3,440.00.

Application specific IC designer Alchip Technologies Ltd. lost 0.46 percent to end at NT$1,090.00.

Also in the electronics sector, iPhone assembler Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. underperformed the broader market. It close unchanged at NT$105.50 after a Nikkei Asia report said Apple Inc. plans to cut back production of its latest iPhone SE due to weaker-than-expected demand.

In addition, PC brand Asustek Computer Inc. lost 0.13 percent to close at NT$375.00, while rival Acer Inc. added 0.67 percent to end at NT$30.25.

Financial stocks

“The financial sector served as another pillar pushing up the Taiex throughout the session as rate hikes are expected to help financial institutions make more on their overseas investments,” Tang said.

In the financial sector, which rose 1.13 percent, Cathay Financial Holding Co. rose 0.94 percent to close at NT$64.40, Fubon Financial Holding Co. gained 1.20 percent to end at NT$76.10, and E. Sun Financial Holding Co. added 1.70 percent to close at NT$32.85.

Also, SinoPac Financial Holding Co. soared 6.07 percent to end at NT$18.35.

Gains posted by the old economy sector appeared limited as some investors resorted to day trading in which they bought stocks first and then sold them in the same session, with airlines and shipping stocks in focus, Tang said.

Airlines, shipping firms

China Airlines lost 0.73 percent to close at NT$27.10 after hitting a high of NT$27.90, and EVA Airways fell 0.31 percent to end at NT$32.20, off a high of NT$33.50.

Meanwhile, Evergreen Marine Corp., the largest container cargo shipper in Taiwan, closed unchanged at NT$135.50, while rival Wan Hai Lines Ltd. rose 3.56 percent to end at NT$160.00.

Elsewhere, food brand Uni-President Enterprises Corp. rose 0.15 percent to close at NT$65.70, while Wei Chuan Foods Corp. lost 0.23 percent to end at NT$21.45.

“Judging from an appreciating Taiwan dollar against the U.S. dollar today, foreign institutional investors stood on the buy side as they started to rebuild their positions in the tech sector,” Tang said.

“Investors should monitor the Taiwan dollar’s value to get an idea of foreign investors’ strategies.”

According to the Taiwan Stock Exchange, foreign institutional investors bought a net NT$22.13 billion in shares Wednesday.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

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LINE Bank incurs NT$2.2 billion in losses, plans capital hike: FSC

LINE Bank, one of the three web-only banks in Taiwan, is planning to raise its capital size to strengthen its capital structure after reporting a loss of about NT$2.2 billion after less than one year of full operations, according to the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC).

Data compiled and released by the FSC, the top financial regulator in Taiwan, on Tuesday showed that LINE Bank, which opened in April 2021 with paid-in capital of NT$10 billion, reported a loss of NT$2.27 billion, which is close to meeting a requirement for a commercial bank to raise its capital size if its losses reach one-third of its paid-in capital.

LINE Bank has filed a report with the FSC’s Banking Bureau stating that it will raise its capital later this year, but the exact amount is still being discussed inside the bank, Tung Cheng-chang (???), deputy director of the bureau, said on Tuesday.

According to the FSC, LINE Bank’s losses were the largest among the three Internet-only banks in Taiwan.

Rivals also record losses

The other two web-only banks are Rakuten International Commercial Bank, which began operations in January 2021 and recorded a loss of NT$705 million as of the end of January, and Next Bank, which officially opened on Tuesday but had a trial run of a few months after getting its license in December, and reported a loss of about NT$1.38 billion, the FSC’s data showed.

Tung said LINE Bank’s higher losses were a result of the bank’s aggressive marketing policy to attract customers, which increased its operating costs, adding the losses had been anticipated by the bank.

At the end of December, LINE Bank had a depositor base of 732,600, ahead of Rakuten Bank, which had about 67,200 depositors. In addition, LINE Bank reported NT$28.81 billion in deposits as of the end of January, compared with NT$8.18 billion in deposits for Rakuten Bank, and NT$3 million received by Next Bank.

According to the FSC, Next Bank’s losses reflected a management reshuffle and higher spending on its preparatory work before securing its license in December.

Firms behind the three banks

LINE Financial owns a 49.9 percent stake in LINE Bank, while Taipei Fubon Commercial Bank has a 25.1 percent stake, and CTBC Bank, Union Bank of Taiwan, Standard Chartered Bank, Taiwan Mobile Co., and Far EasTone Telecommunications Co. each own five percent.

Rakuten Inc. owns a 51 percent stake in Rakuten International Commercial Bank, while IBF Financial Holdings Co. holds the remaining 49 percent.

Next Bank is owned by a consortium led by Chunghwa Telecom, which has a 41.9 percent stake. Its other shareholders are Mega International Commercial Bank, conglomerate Shin Kong Group, supermarket chain operator PX Mart, KGI Bank, and customs clearance service provider Trade-van.com.

The official opening of Next Bank means there is a total of 39 banks currently operating in Taiwan, according to the FSC.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

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Taiwan Film Festival Edinburgh returns with expanded format

The Taiwan Film Festival Edinburgh (Taiwan FFE) has returned for a third year with an expanded program that will see it screen around 20 Taiwanese films at locations across Scotland from late March through November, according to organizers.

This year’s festival will present a film lineup under the theme of “The (Un)usual,” as interpreted through the avant-garde, the fantastical and the political, festival curator Liu Kuan-ping (???) said in a press release issued by the Taipei Representative Office in the U.K.

According to the representative office, the festival officially kicked off on March 25 with the start of a two-week tour of the Scottish Highlands and Orkney, where screenings of the animated short film “Girl in Water” will be held in an 80-seat mobile cinema.

On April 1-2, the Taiwan FFE will join the Hong Kong Film Festival U.K. at Summerhall in Edinburgh, to present a program focusing on the impact of Taiwan and Hong Kong social movements, the representative office said.

The event will include screenings of “Revolution in Our Times,” the acclaimed documentary on Hong Kong’s 2019-2020 pro-democracy protests, as well as the Taiwanese film “The Price of Democracy,” the office said.

On April 9, the festival will hold a screening of “Among Us,” a 2021 documentary that follows four Taiwanese art students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), in collaboration with the charity Scottish Autism.

Meanwhile, the festival will be at the Scottish Poetry Library on May 19 for a showing of “Le Moulin,” a 2015 documentary about Taiwan’s first avant-garde literary group in the 1930s, the representative office said.

The office added that in June and July the festival will hold a series of outdoor screenings of animated children’s films, including a newly-restored version of the 1998 film “Grandma and Her Ghosts.”

The last portion of the festival, meanwhile, will consist of a week-long screening schedule at major Edinburgh cinemas in October, as well as in Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen, and Fort William in November, according to the representative office.

The complete film lineup for the October-November events will be announced later this year.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

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News Corp Australia Executive Myles Lagolago-Craig Joins Global Web Development Agency XWP as CEO

Experienced Digital Executive to Drive Next Phase of XWP’s Global Growth Plans

Myles Lagolago-Craig

MELBOURNE, Australia, March 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — XWP, a global web development provider, announces the appointment of Myles Lagolago-Craig as its new global chief executive.

Lagolago-Craig will guide Melbourne-headquartered XWP in its mission to tackle the biggest technological challenges in digital publishing, onboard digital and engineering talent from around the globe, and enable the business’ industry-leading clients to tell their story in new and exciting ways.

The experienced digital leader has worked at News Corp Australia for the past 20 years and served as the Director of Publishing Technology and Services since June 2020.

During his tenure, he led the development of the platforms that enabled some of Australia’s most high-traffic websites, including brands such as news.com.au, Fox Sports, and The Australian. He also delivered the largest WordPress enterprise installation in Australia to more than 15 News Corp websites, involving more than 1,000 internal staff.

Lagolago-Craig was also responsible for the development of numerous technical projects with key partners including Google, Facebook and Apple.

Speaking on the appointment, founder of XWP Dave Rosen said, “For some time now, we’ve been looking at taking XWP to the next level and, after a period of unprecedented growth, we’re delighted to have Myles on board as CEO. The breadth of his experience really speaks for itself, having worked on some amazing projects that have dramatically shaped the landscape of the web over the course of his career. I look forward to XWP’s continued growth under his direction.”

“The global talent at XWP combined with the world-leading projects we deliver around the world for great brands is why I’m excited to be joining XWP as CEO,” says Lagolago-Craig. “The opportunity is to build on the phenomenal growth over the past few years, bring my passion for scaling high-performing digital teams, and continue XWP’s commitment to building an open and performant web.”

Lagolago-Craig said he was looking forward to the challenge of accelerating the growth of XWP, founded in 2013 by Dave Rosen. The company has employees in more than 30 countries, and its customers include notable brands such as Automattic, Rolling Stone, Google, and many more.

“I have worked with XWP as a partner for many years and I have always been impressed with their culture and expertise in digital publishing,” said Lagolago-Craig. “Storytelling has never been more important for brands and publishers. Enterprises rely on experts to navigate this at scale and this is what XWP is positioned for.”

About XWP

XWP is a fully remote web agency, with a team of experts around the globe. Together, they work with the biggest names in technology, publishing, and media to make storytelling easier with modern editorial tools, improve ownership through cleverly personalized workflows, boosting conversions with lightning-fast user experiences.

Through the power of reliable tooling, and the elimination of technical debt, XWP helps businesses to own their platform and their goals, smashing KPIs and enabling their digital teams to go further.

As outspoken advocates for the open web, they actively contribute to a number of the technologies that underpin their offering. With a team of experienced experts spanning every touchpoint of the development lifecycle, they create digital opportunities that have an international impact.

For more information about how XWP is creating the tools for businesses to do more, visit www.xwp.co or follow @XWP on Linkedin and Twitter for the latest news and updates.

Contact Information for further comments or an interview with a representative from XWP:

Scott Batchelor
scott.batchelor@xwp.co

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Incora Completes Comprehensive Recapitalization

Agreement with Bondholders and Lenders Provides $250 Million to Drive Growth as Aerospace Industry Recovers

Incora Logo

FORT WORTH, Texas, March 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Incora announced today it has completed a comprehensive recapitalization that will provide the company with ample liquidity to maintain and expand the business as the aerospace industry rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The recapitalization, which includes an immediate liquidity infusion of $250 million, was supported by majorities across all of the company’s funded debt including bondholders and bank lenders.

“This is a resounding vote of confidence from our financing partners and a great day for Incora and its employees, customers, vendors and business partners,” said David Coleal, Incora’s chief executive officer.  “This transaction provides a combination of fresh liquidity, maturity relief and debt service reduction, allowing Incora the financial stability to continue delivering innovative, first-in-class service to our existing customers, and to seize new business opportunities as the defense industry signals increased growth and the commercial aerospace industry rebounds.”

Coleal continued, “I want to thank our customers and our supplier partners, I want to thank our bondholders for their partnership with Incora, and I also want to thank our employees for their hard work and unwavering commitment as we faced unprecedented industry headwinds together.  Our success through the COVID-19 pandemic would not have been possible without your dedication and teamwork.”

Participating bondholders, including Silver Point Finance, provided the additional long-term liquidity support to Incora and exchanged their existing secured and unsecured notes for new secured notes, extending the term of a portion of the secured notes and significantly reducing the amount of annual cash interest.

Key terms of the transaction include:

  • Incora received $250 million of new money
  • Supporting lenders exchanged existing secured and unsecured bonds for new bonds due in November 2026 and November 2027, respectively, extending the maturity on over $450 million of bonds that would have been due in 2024
  • Cash interest payments will be significantly reduced for the next five years
  • Incora retains significant flexibility to engage in additional value-enhancing transactions

About Incora

Incora is the trade name for the group of companies formed by Wesco Aircraft and Pattonair, a leading provider of comprehensive supply chain management services to the global aerospace and other industries.  Beginning with a strong foundation in aerospace and defense, Incora also utilizes its supply chain expertise to serve industrial manufacturing, marine, pharmaceutical and beyond.  Incora incorporates itself into customers’ businesses, managing all aspects of supply chain from procurement and inventory management to logistics and on-site customer services.  The company is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, with a global footprint that includes 68 locations in 17 countries and more than 3,800 employees.  For more information, please visit incora.com.

To contact Incora regarding company news please contact: Gary Wells gary.wells@incora.com 2601 Meacham Blvd Suite 400
Fort Worth, TX 76137 Ph: +817-692-2178

*  *  *

Incora has included statements in this press release that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. As a general matter, forward-looking statements are those focused on future or anticipated events or trends, expectations and beliefs including, among other things, Incora’s expectations with respect to the amend and extend transaction described herein. Such statements are intended to be identified by using words such as “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “will,” “project,” “plan” and similar expressions in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. Any forward-looking statements are and will be based upon Incora’s then-current expectations, estimates and assumptions regarding future events and are applicable only as of the dates of such statements. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those projected in this press release. Incora undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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OpenBB Raises $8.5M in Seed Round Funding Following Open Source Project Gamestonk Terminal’s Success

Gamestonk Terminal Renamed OpenBB Terminal to Reflect Big Aspirations After $8.5M Seed Investment Round

OpenBB logo

DELAWARE CITY, Del., March 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Following the success of their open source project, Gamestonk Terminal, the founding team composed of Didier Lopes, James Maslek and Artem Veremey is launching a new company: OpenBB.

OpenBB is partnering with OSS Capital to build world-class investment research products. OSS Capital is leading the seed round alongside Naval Ravikant, Ram Shriram and Elad Gil, closing the round at $8.5 Million.

“The investment research industry has been dominated by monopolistic and proprietary incumbents since the 1980s, and it has taken until now for someone to develop an open source, democratized platform for the current and next generation of market makers, traders and equities professionals. OpenBB is the right idea at the right time, focused on empowering investors to gain access to the world’s financial research at the click of a button, all for free and powered by an open source platform. We are honored and thrilled to be on the ground floor of this paradigm-shifting moment in the history of investment research.“ – Joseph Jacks, OSS Capital Founder and GP

Since the initial launch of the project last year, Gamestonk Terminal has gone viral on Hacker News and Reddit, been featured in Vice magazine and is currently the #1 open source investment research platform on GitHub by stars, having over 9,200.

The OpenBB founders will set the company direction, focusing on the community, to keep building the best open source investment research platform. To reflect the new company, ‘Gamestonk Terminal’ will be rebranded to ‘OpenBB Terminal’.

“As a Software Developer and an AI/ML enthusiast, I decided to leverage modern data science tools to help me make sense out of investing. What started as a personal project of mine has turned into a platform used by thousands of people around the world,” said Didier Lopes, OpenBB CEO and co-founder. “With this seed investment, our ability to support the ever-growing community will improve significantly. We’re opening a new chapter in our journey to create a modern investment research platform for everyone.” 

OpenBB is a leading open source investment analysis company. It represents millions of investors who want to leverage state-of-the-art data science and machine learning technologies to make sense of raw unrefined data. Its mission is to make investment research effective, powerful and accessible to everyone. OpenBB currently has several new opportunities, which can be found on their website here.

OpenBB Terminal is a highly-customizable, open source investment platform. The product being open source allows for higher quality, lower costs and complete transparency. The terminal is written in Python, the fastest growing language in the world of finance, data science and countless others. This is the first time in history that users, regardless of their background, can easily add features to an investment platform and tailor it to their needs.

For more information contact hello@openbb.co.

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Top 10 Unique Day Trips From Qatar’s Capital

Qatar Tourism

DOHA, Qatar, March 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Qatar Tourism is calling on holidaymakers and fans attending the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ to take a day trip out of Doha and discover Qatar beyond the capital.

Within the 90 minutes it takes to play a football match, visitors can leave Doha for amazing adventures in mesmerising desert dunes, UNESCO heritage sites, ancient rock carvings, water parks, golden beaches, eco farms, lush green mangrove forests and so much more.

Chief Operating Officer of Qatar Tourism, Berthold Trenkel, said: “Just a stone’s throw from Doha are fantastic cultural, natural and family-friendly excursions that some visitors might miss. We’re more than just a city and we want the world to discover the hidden treasures strewn across our peninsula. The beauty of a holiday here is the compactness of diverse experiences, with all our iconic attractions never more than a 90-minute drive away – or the time it takes to watch a World Cup match. For anyone staying in the country for longer than 24 hours, a day trip out of Doha is a delightful highlight of a holiday in Qatar.”

Here are 10 of the top out-of-Doha day trips rounded up by Qatar Tourism:

Banana Island Resort

The glistening crescent-shaped Banana Island is accessible by boat only. A 25-minute journey from Al Shyoukh Terminal in downtown Doha, the island beach offers an ideal escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. Guests can travel for the day or stay overnight at Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara, featuring a lagoon pool, spa, golf court, cinema and several restaurants.

Distance from Doha: 25 minutes

Heenat Salma Farm

Fans of organic, natural produce should visit Heenat Salma Farm for an eco-conscious experience. A working agricultural farm that grows more than 30 different crops, fruits and vegetables, and produces dairy, eggs, honey and meat, Heenat Salma is a centre for hospitality, education and wellbeing. Visitors can stay overnight in traditional tents positioned around a central fire, which instills a sense of community. There is a pool, wellness room, library and a kitchen where chefs prepare simple, healthy, nourishing meals.

Distance from Doha: 40 minutes

Purple Island

Bin Ghannam Island, popularly known as Purple Island, is a hidden gem famous for its abundance of mangroves. The island’s association with purple comes from an ancient Kassite-controlled dye industry, which started more than two-thousand years ago, when the colour was coveted by Roman royalty for their clothing. Sunset is an opportune time to visit Purple Island: go kayaking, or hike around the island to scout the perfect sunset spot for photos.

Distance from Doha: 45 minutes 

Baladna Park

A green refuge on the outskirts of Doha, Baladna Park is a fun-filled family day out with a children’s adventure land, bumper boats, a petting zoo and reptile cave. The park is run by Baladna Farm, a 100% Qatari business that is one of the largest cattle farms in region, and it provides fresh milk and dairy products to Qatar’s restaurants and residents. The farm is also open to members of the public, who can discover the milking process in purpose-built farms that protect animals from harsh changes in climate.

Distance from Doha: 45 minutes 

Dhal Al Misfir cave

One of the country’s most exciting natural sites, the 40-metre-deep Dahl Al Misfir is considered the largest accessible cave in Qatar. Estimated to have been formed around 300,000-500,000 years ago, the cave emits an otherworldly moon-like glow due to gypsum despots in the centre of the peninsula. These same minerals give rise to ‘desert roses’ – clusters of crystals that inspired Jean Nouvel in his iconic design of the National Museum of Qatar.

Distance from Doha: 55 minutes 

Al Jassasiya Rock Carvings

Nobody quite knows when these nearly 900 carvings, known as ‘petroglyphs’, were created. Discovered in 1957, the distinct carvings feature shapes including fish, ostriches, dhow boats and cup marks, across a 700-metre area. Some suggest the art dates back more than 2,000 years, others put the date at just a few centuries ago. Either way, the carvings offer a tantalising glimpse into an ancient past and are Qatar’s most exciting enigma.

Distance from Doha: 1 hour 

Al Zubarah Fort

Qatar’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, Al Zubarah Fort is a pristine example of a traditional Arabic fortress. The walls overlook the ruins of a once bustling pearling town that saw fierce tribal battles as powerful empires fought for regional dominance. Visitors who head up to the site will find a museum with artefacts from this historical era, including cannonballs, coins and the weights used by pearl divers who used to plunge down 14 metres to search among thousands of oysters before finding that one rare gem. On the way to Al Zubarah are the remains of the ghost town of Al Jumail, which offers another fascinating glimpse into Qatar’s humble past.

Distance from Doha: 1 hour 15 minutes 

Hilton Salwa Beach Resort & Villas

On Qatar’s southwestern tip is one of the country’s best-kept secrets. A nirvana for lovers of sun, sea and sand, Hilton Salwa Beach Resort has 3.5 kilometres of soft white beaches and landscaped gardens. Within the grounds is one of the largest theme parks in the Middle East, Desert Falls. The park features 18 attractions, with 56 rides and slides, from the Sea Caves Water Park to the Desert Street Circuit Go Karting.

Distance from Doha: 1 hour 20 minutes 

East-West / West-East

Richard Serra’s breath-taking public art installation in the Qatari desert comprises four 14-metre-high steel plates spread out over a kilometre. Pictures of the striking display routinely set Instagram accounts alight, as the pillars stand in stark contrast to the soft brown hues of the surrounding desert. Also in the area is the Umbrella Rock Mountain, Zekreet Fort and the abandoned film set known as Film City, all worth a quick look.

Distance from Doha: 1 hour 20 minutes

Inland Sea

There are rare few places in the world where desert dunes greet the shores of the sea. The spectacular ‘Inland Sea’. or Khor Al Adaid, in the south of Qatar is one, and those with an afternoon to spare should seriously consider visiting, accessible only by 4×4 vehicles. Visitors should coincide their excursion with the sunset or sunrise for the best photos, and keep an eye out for turtles, the Arabian oryx and flamingos, before taking a dip in the warm sea waters.

Distance from Doha: 1 hour 30 minutes 

Note to editor

All distances taken from Doha’s central West Bay area.

-Ends-

For media-related inquiries, please contact Qatar Tourism’s Press Office on:

+974 7774 7863 | pressoffice@visitqatar.qa 

About Qatar: 

Qatar is a peninsula surrounded by the Arabian Gulf in the heart of the Middle East, with 80% of the earth’s population within a six-hour flight. Ranked the safest country in the world in 2022 by Numbeo, Qatar welcomes all travellers, and guests from over 95 countries can enter visa-free. Qatar has an incredible variety of easily accessible tourist attractions, a plethora of fauna and flora including Whale Sharks and the majestic national animal the Arabian Oryx, and most experiences are a unique combination of cultural authenticity and modernity. From iconic museums to high-rise restaurants, from thrilling desert adventures to world-famous events including none other than the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, there is something for all types of travellers and budgets. Travellers set to transit through Qatar should turn one holiday into two with the world’s best value stopover packages, launched by Qatar Airways and Discover Qatar and supported by Qatar Tourism.

About Qatar Tourism:

Qatar Tourism is the official government body responsible for the development and promotion of tourism in Qatar, facilitating the sector’s 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

Instagram: @VisitQatar

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