Visit Newport Beach Signed Tourism Deal With Qatar Airways

The partnership aims to promote the Southern California coastal city to travelers across the Gulf states.

Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Middle East

Screen-print poster illustration of a lifeguard tower silhouette on a beach, representing the coastal destination for a tourism deal. — Visit Newport Beach has entered a partnership with Qatar Airways to promote Southern California coastal travel to high-value markets in the Gulf states. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Visit Newport Beach has finalized a memorandum of understanding with Qatar Airways to boost international tourism. The agreement focuses on attracting visitors from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and the UAE to the Southern California coast.

Why it matters

This partnership aligns with Newport Beach's long-term international growth strategy by directly targeting high-value travel markets in the Middle East. Through coordinated marketing, the city seeks to increase its visibility among travelers in Gulf states.

Newport Beach is situated 45 minutes from Los Angeles International Airport. The agreement facilitates new value-driven travel packages for residents of the six participating Gulf nations.

The players

Visit Newport Beach

This is the primary destination marketing organization responsible for promoting tourism to the Southern California coastal city.

Qatar Airways

This is the state-owned flag carrier of Qatar that operates an extensive international network connecting major global cities.

Hendrik Abraham Du Preez

He is an executive representing Qatar Airways who signed the memorandum of understanding on behalf of the airline.

Glenn Johnston

He is a representative for Aviareps and Visit Newport Beach who facilitated the signing of the tourism agreement.

The details

The collaboration, finalized during the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, will leverage joint digital activations to reach potential tourists. Qatar Airways will support the effort by launching a dedicated landing page for Newport Beach offers.

October 1, 2026

Travel Outlook

This collaboration mirrors broader shifts in how destination marketing organizations utilize major international travel summits to bypass traditional advertising hurdles. It reflects an ongoing trend of cities forming strategic alliances with national carriers to capture long-haul tourism market share.

Travelers from the Gulf states should look for upcoming value-driven vacation packages on the dedicated Qatar Airways landing page. Those planning trips to Newport Beach can expect easier access to the city via the 45-minute connection from Los Angeles International Airport.

The takeaway

Partnerships between local tourism boards and major airlines serve as a critical bridge for international travelers seeking specific coastal destinations. Travelers are encouraged to monitor carrier websites for specialized bundles that often provide more value than booking individual trip components.