Qatar has dropped its red travel list and mask mandate as it announced visitor numbers rose to a record-breaking 151,000 visitors in July.

The country, which is due to host the FIFA World Cup this winter, now requires visitors to present a PCR test result, valid for 48 hours, or a negative rapid antigen test result taken 24 hours ahead of the scheduled departure time of the outbound flight.

Visitor numbers in July hit their highest level in a summer month since 2017, representing a 297% increase, the country added.

More than 100 hotels and serviced apartments are being added to the country’s portfolio ahead of the World Cup. They include the Pullman Doha West Bay and The Double Tree by Hilton Downtown Hotel, which both opened last month, as well as the Outpost Al Barari and Katara Hills LXR Hotels & Resorts with 15 villas each with private pools, which are due to open in the coming weeks.

The naming ceremony of MSC Cruises’ flagship MSC World Europa will take place in Qatar this autumn.

The ceremony has been scheduled for 13 November in Doha, just before the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in the Gulf state, at the city’s new Grand Cruise Terminal, which is expected to handle up to 28,000 passengers a day and has capacity for two mega cruise ships.

The cruise line said the ceremony is part of its “latest commitment to Qatar and the continued importance of the Middle East”, and supports Qatar’s pledge to attract six million international visitors a year by 2030.

MSC World Europa will be used as a floating hotel during the World Cup, before it embarks on its maiden voyage on 20 December, offering seven-night cruises.

www.visitqatar.qa/intl-en