DOHA - Qatar's tourist operators and hotels have taken steps aimed at providing convenience and comfort to Chinese tourists in a bid to stimulate Qatar's tourism sector, local media reported Thursday.

At a ceremony held Wednesday evening by Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), six companies were approved as tour operators for hosting Chinese tour groups, and 15 hotels were issued the "Welcome Chinese" certificate, Qatar's Arabic newspaper Al-Rayah reported.

The ceremony was attended by Chinese Ambassador to Qatar Li Chen and several officials from the Qatari tourism and hospitality sector. These companies and hotels expressed their readiness to meet the needs of Chinese tourists.

Among the measures taken to especially cater for Chinese tourists, the 15 hotels accept the payment by China UnionPay cards, provide hot water kettles to make Chinese tea, and have the channels of CCTV, the predominant state television broadcaster in China.

"We have been working closely with our partners in the tourism industry to offer our hospitality to Chinese guests and allow Chinese visitors to discover our cultural heritage and natural treasures with ease and comfort," a QTA senior official said.

Last August, Qatar announced visa-free entry for citizens of 80 countries including China, which helped drive up the number of Chinese visitors to Qatar by 27 percent in the first quarter of 2018.