3rd Best News Website in the Middle East BUSINESS | 21 SPORT | 28 QP plans to boost My swing is coming capacity of LNG back slowly, trains says Amir Thursday 1 June 2017 | 6 Ramadan 1438 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Volume 22 | Number 7179 | 2 Riyals Emir holds talks with Kuwait Emir Qatar ranks 8th Banks to see in IMD World Competitiveness loan surge in Yearbook 2017 QATAR has occupied top rank in the IMD World Com- petitiveness Yearbook 2017. Qatar ranked 8th in the eco- Ramadan nomic performance, 11 in the government efficiency, 12 in terms of efficiency of the Sachin Kumar business sector, while ranked The Peninsula When it comes to 38 in the infrastructure sector. onsumer loans will get car sales, Ramadan Qatar ranked 17th out of a big boost during the outstrips all other 63 countries, mostly devel- holy month of Ram- months because oped countries. Minister of adan. Car loans will many customers wait Development Planning and ride on the wave of for offers which are Statistics H E Dr Saleh bin Coffers announced by dealers, Mohammed Al Nabit has wel- announced during the while personal loans and credit month. comed the results of this card issuance will jump on the report. increased consumer spending “These results have during the month. already announced tempting enhanced Qatar's position in “The demand for personal offers on loans to lure custom- different fields, and it will loans increases sharply during ers. Dealers are offering free help us to see the categories Ramadan and Eid mainly insurance and registration, free where we need to put more driven by two factors. First is service (for limited time), zero efforts,” the Minister said. expatriates go to their home or low down payment option Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani with the Emir of Kuwait, H H Sheikh Sabah Al country during the holy month and other freebies. Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, at Dasman Palace in Kuwait, yesterday. → See also page 2 and take personal loans to ful- “When it comes to car sales, Qatar strongly fill their financial commitments Ramadan outstrips all other such as buying a plot of land, a months because many custom- Kuwait deep brotherly relations and On the Kuwaiti side, the condemns house or any other asset,” a ers wait for offers which are QNA close ties between the two peo- meeting was attended by Crown senior official of a private bank announced during the month. ples and brotherly countries and Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Kabul blast told The Peninsula. “Secondly, Car sales usually increase by 20 mir H H Sheikh Tamim bin means to boost and develop Al Jaber Al Sabah, Speaker of the people tend to spend more dur- to 30 percent during Ramadan Hamad Al Thani met here them. They also exchanged National Assembly, Marzooq Ali QNA ing Ramadan and Eid as they and Eid,” said a senior official Ewith the Emir of Kuwait H H views on the latest develop- Al Ghanim, Deputy Head of the host guests for iftar, decorate of car dealer. In a bid to push Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber ments on the regional and National Guard, Sheikh Mishal Al THE STATE of Qatar home, change furniture and up auto loans, banks are going Al Sabah, at Dasman Palace. international arenas. Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, Prime expressed its strong condem- give gifts to their family mem- extra mile. They have tied up At the beginning of the The meeting was attended Minister Sheikh Jaber Al Mubarak nation of the blast that took bers and friends. To meet these with car dealers and are offer- meeting, Emir and the Emir of by H H Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Hamad Al Sabah as well as a place yesterday in the diplo- additional expenses, consum- ing waiver of processing fees Kuwait exchanged greetings on Al Thani, the Personal Repre- number of their Excellencies matic area of the Afghan ers apply for personal loans,” and giving free insurance cover the occasion of the holy month sentative of the Emir, and Sheikhs and senior officials. Emir capital, Kabul, killing 90 peo- he added. to customers. of Ramadan, and friendly talks members of the official delega- also attended the iftar banquet ple and wounding a number Most of the car dealers have → Continued on page 3 on various topics that reflect the tion accompanying the Emir. hosted by the Emir of Kuwait. of people. The Foreign Ministry in a statement reiterated Qatar's firm stance rejecting violence and terrorism regardless of the motives and reasons. The Tourism boom as more travellers visit Qatar statement stressed Qatar's denouncement of all crimi- Irfan Bukhari Statistics Bulletin of the Ministry further indicate a whopping 47. last year reached 69 percent in running since October 2016,” the nal attacks that destabilise The Peninsula of Development Planning and 2 percent increase in number of April this year. ValuStrat report says. security as well as intimidates Statistics indicates a 27.4 percent visitors from GCC countries. As Another recently issued It adds: “GCC is the largest and kills the innocent, saying hree different recently- year-on-year increase in many as 144, 814 people from report of ValuStrat on Qatar's source of inbound travel fol- such attacks contradict with released reports by number of visitors in April 2017 GCC countries visited Qatar in real estate on first quarter of lowed by Asian and European humanitarian principles and TMinistry of Development compared with same month of April 2017 while 98, 401 visitors 2017 narrates a similar story countries. In January 2017, Qatar all divine religions. The state- Planning and Statistics, Ernst and 2016. had come to Qatar in April 2016 based on figures. “During Q1 Tourism Authority launched ment extended condolences Young, and ValuStrat indicate In April this year, as many as hence there is witnessed a 47.2 2017, the total number of tour- Qatar’s first shopping festival, of Qatar to the Afghan gov- that Qatar’s tourism industry is 295,134 visitors arrived in Qatar percent increase on YoY basis. ist arrivals in Qatar reached during which there was an ernment and the families of booming bringing more business while the number of visitors in The report also shows that above 864,000, a 5% YoY rise. increase of 16.8% in tourist arriv- the victims, wishing the for country’s hotel industry as April 2016 was 231, 629. hotel (all categories) occupancy This included an increase of als led by Saudi nationals.” injured a speedy recovery. well. The 40th Edition of Monthly The official stats which was 64 percent in April tourists from the cruise season, → Continued on page 2 → See also page 12 13 Turkish soldiers Dust winds lash Doha Monthly expenses rise during martyred in crash ISTANBUL: Thirteen soldiers Ramadan and summer vacation were killed yesterday when a helicopter crashed in south- The Peninsula through newspapers and ads, east Turkey after hitting a and also to check list of items high-voltage power line, the he monthly expenditure whose prices are reduced under army said. of residents in Qatar the recently launched initiative The Cougar helicopter Trises from 25 to 35 per- of the Ministry. crashed shortly after taking cent during the holy month of The Ministry said that con- off from a base in Sirnak Ramadan, Eid and summer sumer behaviour changes province bordering Iraq, kill- vacation, said the Ministry of during Ramadan, and the mar- ing all 13 onboard, it said in a Economy and Commerce, kets witness more demand. It statement. "Our hero com- yesterday. has stressed that families must rades in the helicopter fell as Qatari families pay 10 per- not waste their money by buy- martrys," the army said. cent of their income for ing unnecessary items. purchasing food items while The Ministry advised shop- expats pay more than 15 per- pers to stock necessary food RAMADAN cent on buying food items. The items such as rice, sugar and TIMING Ministry has asked people to cooking oil in advance to avoid make list of items before they crowd in the hypermarkets. Today’s Iftar 6:23pm Palm trees swayed by dust winds lash along the Corniche yesterday. Residents are go for shopping. People should spend more time Tomorrow’s Imsak 3:05am braving wind along with dust for the last two days. Pic: Abdul Basit / The Peninsula It has urged people to fol- on worship rather than going low daily the promotion out for shopping. 02 HOME THURSDAY 1 JUNE 2017 Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani met with the Emir of Kuwait, H H Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, at Dasman Palace in Kuwait, yesterday. Advisory 17 more hotels this year on travel Continued from page 1 Suites (396 hotel apartments). to Austria “In the total stock, Qatar The report further points out approximately 50% of hotel prop- QNA that Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) erties are 5-star followed by 4-star granted licences to hold 75 exhi- (37%) and 3-star (11%). As many as ustria has banned the bitions this year (2017), which will 17 new hotel properties are use of full-face veils or likely result in a boost to expected to debut during the Aburqa in public from tourism. remaining quarters of 2017, which October 2017, an official “Qatar Tourism Authority has will make the total stock at the end source at the Department of projected tourism receipt will reach of the year to be approximately Consular Affairs of the For- QR30bn by 2022 and tourism sec- 27,500 keys, assuming no delays,” eign Ministry said.