Doha’s Hamad Airport, the country’s largest airport, revealed a huge new indoor, natural light-filled forest. Right in time for visitors traveling for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, The Orchard is a 60,000-plus square foot rainforest-like atrium.
The Orchard will serve as a new, central concourse at the airport, inviting guests from all over the world. The spectacle is a portion of the expansion projects scheduled at Hamad International Airport.
With 300 trees and 25,000 plants from around the world underneath the glass roof, a large water feature truly brings the indoor spectacle to life. To complement the forest-style setting, new dozens of new shopping and dining options have also been unveiled.
Along with The Orchard as the focal point, other project upgrades tackle the infrastructure at the airport and include additional gates, improved baggage and expanded cargo facilities. The airport has also added a second on-site hotel, the 100-room Oryx Garden Hotel, and new lounges.
Other upcoming projects include the Al Mourjan Business Lounge, which will overlook The Orchard’s gardens.
Along with The Orchard and other infrastructure projects, Doha officials predict that these upgrades will further boost tourism to the country and through the airport. As a key international hub for Qatar Airways, officials believe it can boost passenger capacity from 40 million to 58 million annual visitors next year.
Next year, the infrastructure projects mentioned, along with new concourse space and airside rapid transit, the airport’s capacity could grow to about 70 million annual passengers in the future.
These expansions are just a few of the upgrades to the area considering the wave of passengers scheduled to visit for the FIFA World Cup. As a key hub for passengers traveling for the event, along with those to other parts of the world, the upgrades to Doha’s Hamad Airport, will surely invite more to visit.