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The Qatar News Agency reported that Visit Qatar successfully concluded the Garden Souq event in Singapore after welcoming more than 1,700 visitors across its three-day run from October 7 to 9. The activation at Raffles Hotel formed part of the organisation’s principal partnership with the Audi Revolut F1 Team and sought to present a contemporary version of a traditional souq to Singapore residents and international race attendees. Qatar Tourism chairman Saad bin Ali Al-Kharji and Qatar’s ambassador to Singapore Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Al-Malki attended alongside F1 drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto, who sampled Qatari cuisine and explored the various stations. The event operated each evening from 5pm to 10pm with free admission following prior registration.
According to details shared in the Qatar News Agency dispatch, guests at The Majlis enjoyed Arabic coffee and dates accompanied by live oud performances while those at Flavours of Qatar tasted local dishes. Participants personalised leather charms in The Artisan’s Workshop, added Qatar-inspired patches to caps at The Doha Stamp and created custom perfume blends at Scents of Qatar. These interactive elements combined to highlight the country’s heritage, craftsmanship and hospitality in an open-air setting on the hotel lawn. The contemporary design of the souq aimed to make Qatari traditions accessible to a diverse audience drawn by the motorsport calendar.
A statement from Visit Qatar carried by the Qatar News Agency framed the activation within the body’s international partnership strategy that uses global sporting events to elevate the destination’s profile. The timing during Singapore race week allowed the initiative to reach new audiences in a key Asian market while strengthening cultural ties. Qatar’s ambassador to Singapore Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Al-Malki posted on X that he attended the Garden Souq and noted how it showcased shared interests between Qatar and Singapore through culture, heritage and hospitality.
Qatar Tourism figures show the country hosted 2.614 million visitors in the first nine months of 2026, with those from Asia and Oceania comprising 21 percent or 548,000 arrivals. A Qatar Tourism report on 2025 performance placed full-year visitor numbers at 5.1 million, reflecting 3.7 percent growth from the previous year driven by events and marketing campaigns. Such activations in hubs like Singapore support continued expansion from the region’s growing travel segment, which ranks as the second-largest source market after the GCC.
The 2025 Qatar Tourism report stated that more than 35 global strategic partnerships were activated alongside over 95 marketing campaigns across 19 international markets to sustain momentum. The Audi Revolut F1 Team collaboration provides an ongoing platform for similar cultural promotions that extend beyond conventional advertising. Data from the authority also indicated that hospitality metrics improved in 2025 with 10.8 million room nights sold, an 8.6 percent increase year on year.
Qatar Tourism data places the GCC countries as the leading visitor source with 40.9 percent of arrivals in the January-September 2026 period, followed by Asia at 21 percent. The Singapore event forms one element of broader efforts to diversify and grow arrivals from high-potential markets through targeted experiential marketing. Organisers reported positive engagement from both local participants and the international motorsport community at the concluded activation.
