For a country set to host the world’s biggest sporting event (and the world's most epic party) in 10 years’ time, my first impression was that it had better get a move on.Doha, the capital of Qatar, is set to host the World Cup in 2022. The money sloshing around it has garnered international headlines -- the country has recently bought up the British retailer Harrods, not to mention one of the world’s most expensive paintings, Cezanne’s The Card Players. It’s the richest country in the world per capita, according to Forbes. But money can’t always buy a good time, because in addition to all the cash-money and hoopla, Doha is so boring it almost comes full circle and becomes fascinating.
I found myself in Doha recently. For a country set to host the world’s biggest sporting event (and the world’s most epic party) in 10 years’ time, my first impression was that it had better get a move on. Ignoring the fact that there aren’t enough stadiums or hotels, even something as simple as getting around town is an almighty task. Case in point: I am staying at a very nice five-star hotel, with a private beach, swimming pool and spa, plus a range of impressive restaurants. But if I want to visit a shopping mall, which the concierge presented to me as one of three options when I asked for “must-do” activities, I’m faced with an issue. I ask him to call me a taxi. “I will call, sir, but maybe they will not come,” he says. It seems taxis are a rarity in Doha, and during my entire stay, I saw very few.
The other option is to pay for a hotel limo -- as there is no public transport either, which should prove interesting when there are suddenly tens of thousands of pedestrians milling around -- but the prices are very steep. Suggest that you might walk, and be met with a look of horror as people try to stop you from venturing into the 40-degree Celsius heat. Perhaps that is why my concierge’s other must-do activities seemed to be inside air-conditioned buildings. “You can go to the museum,” he said. I explained I was here for several days and would need more to occupy my time, which prompted his third, very inspired idea: “You could visit another hotel, sir.”
Seeing as I didn’t have many options, I decided to stick with the first choice: the shopping mall.
On my journey there, I could see that Doha is much smaller than its neighbor, Dubai. Similar elements are in place -- big five-star hotels, the malls, of course, and a developing skyline as bigger office towers are created to accommodate growing business -- but they are in much smaller supply, with bigger distances between each of them. The struggle between past and future is very much evident in Doha; there are mosques and historic souks that highlight religion and tradition, and a reluctance to welcome in more of what its foreign workforce might enjoy, like alcohol.
Going for a drink in Doha is quite an experience, as I discovered later on my first evening. Upon attempting to enter my hotel bar, I was stopped at the door. “Passport?” said the tall gentleman wearing a suit. At first I joked with him. “Why, where am I going?” I asked. I wasn’t joking two minutes later when I was back in my room looking for it. Apparently the authorities like to keep track of exactly who is drinking, so passport scans are commonplace. Like Dubai, alcohol in Doha is only available in hotels, although the attitude here is much stricter.
It’s as if the message is not to drink, which makes you wonder what the World Cup fans might think in 2022. Even the Pearl Qatar, a man-made island on Doha’s shoreline, similar to Dubai’s Palm, was recently dealt a blow regarding its alcohol laws. Previously, offshore independent restaurants could open here and serve alcohol. It prompted the development of an area very different from the rest of Doha, with a vibrant outdoor nightlife. However, this has now changed, with the Pearl suddenly falling under the same ruling as everywhere else. Many restaurants have even had to close due to the drop in business. The Pearl could be a decent tourist attraction for the city, but now there is little to see when you get there.
With strict drinking laws and a current lack of things to see, Doha has a ways to go before it could be considered anything more than a destination for shopping. This made me wonder what it might actually be like when 2022 finally arrives. There is a lot of work to be done, and not just in terms of physical construction. The World Cup is a global event, and this needs to be a city that can welcome and entertain visitors from all over. Becoming that will be more of a challenge than winning the rights to host the event itself. Let’s hope Doha has realized what it has signed itself up for.
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