Qatar may house thousands of football fans in Bedouin-style tents in desert areas close to stadiums during the 2022 World Cup "as tumbling oil prices have forced the tiny Gulf state to delay projects, including building hotels," according to Tom Finn of REUTERS. Most of the expected 500,000 fans are "expected to stay in hotels and apartments" but contrary to Qatar's World Cup bid in '10, when it said that "it would create more than 55,000 rooms," authorities said in January that "46,000 rooms would be ready." FIFA's requirement was for "60,000 rooms to be available." Organizers are "holding up the tent idea as a creative and culturally authentic way for Qatar to meet FIFA requirements." A Qatar World Cup Supreme Committee spokesperson said, "At the heart of this World Cup is a commitment to showcase the hospitality and friendship of the Middle East. As a result, we are actively researching the concept of supporters sleeping under the stars." Analysts said that desert camping, a "popular winter activity for Qataris, who are known for assembling luxurious sites among the sand dunes, could also help allay concerns about thin occupancy after the event." The Supreme Committee did not say if the camps would serve as the specially created "fanzones" in which conservative Muslim Qatar has said that fans "will be allowed to consume alcohol" (REUTERS, 3/21).
