Globalization
Since the global COVID-19 pandemic, Qatar Airways has reopened nearly all their routes. The airline has also increased the number of US cities that they service directly to Doha.
The US-Qatar route is one that is popular for both Qatar Airways and also other leading airline carriers. Qatar’s geographic position is often utilized to connect people west to Africa and east to Asia. Similarly, Qatar serves as an optimal regional trading hub for companies exporting goods to Asia and Africa.
Business Implications
It is important to visit overseas markets before any transaction occurs. Many foreign markets differ greatly from the domestic market, and visits can allow a business person to familiarize themselves with cultural nuances that may affect their venture. Traveling abroad can also generate new customers. Both in the United States and Qatar, clients and customers overseas often prefer to conduct business in person before concluding a transaction.
The increased travel opportunities between the US and Qatar have opened many opportunities for more business interactions between the two countries. These interactions are not only aided by increased flights, but also by amenities offered in the US, with its many ports and air cargo services, and in Qatar, with access to Hamad Port and the Qatar Free Zones.
Qatar’s Developing High-Volume Transport Capabilities
Hamad Port is a world-class commercial port in Qatar. Comprising a port, a base for the Qatari Amiri Naval Forces, and a canal for the planned Qatar Economic Zone 3. The port acts as a catalyst for the country’s trading industry, better positioning Qatar to benefit from the expected regional growth in container and vehicle carrier traffic as well as general cargo traffic. Hamad Port has also positioned Qatar as a re-export hub in the region, increasing the volume of trade between Qatar and the rest of the world.
Qatar has two free zones, Ras Bufontas and Umm Al Houl. Ras Bufontas, the airport free zone, is connected to Hamad International Airport, and Umm Al Houl, the seaport free zone, sits next to the world’s newest greenfield deep-seaport. Ras Bufontas complements high-value and time-sensitive products, while Umm Al Houl provides international freight forwarders access to the chemical, oil and gas, and heavy machinery industries. In addition to airport and port facilities located in Qatar, air cargo operators, such as FedEx and Qatar Airways Cargo, commonly service the Qatar-US route. In 2019, freight air transport was reported at 12,740 million ton-kilometers.
