qatari nationals and residents are bracing themselves for the biggest football carnival. the country is set to become the smallest nation ever to host the tournament. qatar is expecting to attract 1.2 million visitors during the course of the world cup. it has invested billions of dollars to organise the tournament ever since it won the bid in 2010. but with just weeks left for the kickoff, many fans who were planning to come down from different parts of the world are struggling to find accommodation. qatar has a little over 30,000 hotel rooms, out of which 80% have been booked by fifa for officials and football teams. this has squeezed availability for travelling fans. the organisers say that there will be over 100,000 rooms available for fans across different categories, including empty apartments like this, villas and floating hotels. but the cost of these rooms is proving to be expensive. even tiny, prefabricated cabins that fan villages built on the outskirts
and football teams. this has squeezed availability for travelling fans. the organisers say that there will be over 100,000 rooms available for fans across different categories, including empty apartments like this, villas and floating hotels. but the cost of these rooms is proving to be expensive. even tiny prefabricated cabins at fan villages built on the outskirts of the city are listed for over $200 a night, which many fans say is pricey. we weren t given permission to visit the site by the authorities. with no affordable options available, simon whitney was forced to book a room in dubai, where he is paying a fraction of the price compared to doha. i did expect there to be a quick flurry of purchasing accommodation from the beginning, but i thought i d wait my time to see if there was more accommodation, more variety. but that has not proved to be the case. at no stage has the cost actually come down or become more accessible to the average fan. like simon, thousands of fans
it has invested billions of dollars to organise the tournament ever since it won the bid in 2010. but with just weeks left for the kick off, many fans who were planning to come down from different parts of the world are struggling to find accommodation. qatar has a little over 30,000 hotel rooms, out of which 80% have been booked by fifa for officials and football teams. this has squeezed availability for travelling fans. the organisers say that there will be over 100,000 rooms available for fans across different categories, including empty apartments like this, villas and floating hotels. but the cost of these rooms is proving to be expensive. even tiny prefabricated cabins at fan villages built on the outskirts of the city are listed for over $200 a night, which many fans say is pricey. we weren t given permission to visit the site by the authorities. with no affordable options available, simon whitney was forced
it has invested billions of dollars to organise the tournament ever since it won the bid in 2010. but with just weeks left for the kick off, many fans who were planning to come down from different parts of the world are struggling to find accommodation. qatar has a little over 30,000 hotel rooms, out of which 80% have been booked by fifa for officials and football teams. this has squeezed availability for travelling fans. the organisers say that there will be over 100,000 rooms available for fans across different categories, including empty apartments like this, villas and floating hotels. but the cost of these rooms is proving to be expensive. even tiny prefabricated cabins at fan villages built on the outskirts of the city are listed for over $200 a night, which many fans say is pricey. we weren t given permission to visit the site by the authorities. with no affordable options available, simon whitney was forced to book a room in dubai,