La Parada: Visit Qatar Brings Qatari Culture and Cuisine to Madrid

Visit Qatar, Principal Partner of the Audi Revolut F1® Team, brought Qatari culture, cuisine and hospitality to the Spanish capital through La Parada, a three-day public activation held at Plaza de Santiago from 9 to 11 September 2026. The initiative welcomed more than 7,000 visitors, offering an introduction to Qatar through food, interactive experiences and giveaways.

The activation formed part of Visit Qatar’s efforts to connect with international audiences and introduce them to the country’s tourism offering. By bringing elements of Qatari culture into a public space in Madrid, La Parada created an opportunity for Spanish residents, international visitors and motorsport fans to discover the destination beyond traditional travel promotions.

Inside La Parada in Madrid

La Parada brought together food, cultural elements and visitor experiences in a central Madrid location. Held at Plaza de Santiago, the activation made Qatari hospitality accessible to a broad audience during a period of heightened interest in motorsport in the Spanish capital.

The three-day programme was designed to encourage visitors to engage with Qatar through experiences that extended beyond conventional destination advertising. Food and drinks provided a central part of the activation, while interactive activities and giveaways added opportunities for visitors to participate.

More than 7,000 people attended La Parada, highlighting the initiative’s reach among audiences in Madrid. The activation also demonstrated how public-facing experiences can introduce a destination’s identity through accessible activities, allowing visitors to discover aspects of its culture and hospitality in an international setting.

La Parada Showcases Qatari Flavours Through Food and Drinks

Cuisine played an important role in the La Parada experience. Visit Qatar partnered with Toma Café to present a selection of drinks and dishes incorporating Qatari ingredients, bringing elements of the country’s food culture to Madrid.

The collaboration connected local culinary experiences with Qatar’s broader tourism identity. Food offers visitors a direct way to discover a destination, introducing ingredients and flavours that can help communicate its cultural character. Through the partnership with Toma Café, La Parada provided visitors with an opportunity to explore Qatari-inspired offerings in a familiar café setting.

One of the distinctive highlights was a Qatar-inspired ice cream combining karak and raspberry flavours. Karak, a spiced tea widely enjoyed across Qatar and the wider Gulf region, provided a recognisable local reference, while raspberry introduced a contrasting fruity note.

The combination offered a contemporary interpretation of a familiar flavour. Rather than presenting traditional food and drink only in conventional forms, the activation used a creative dessert concept to introduce Qatari culinary influences to an international audience.

For visitors unfamiliar with Qatar, these food and beverage experiences offered an accessible introduction to the country’s hospitality and culinary traditions. For those already familiar with the region, they provided a fresh interpretation of flavours associated with everyday life in the Gulf.

How La Parada Connects Qatar with International Audiences

La Parada reflects Visit Qatar’s broader approach to international destination promotion. By taking elements of Qatar’s tourism offering directly to audiences abroad, the initiative created a setting where people could engage with the destination without travelling to the country first.

The experience combined several themes associated with tourism, including cuisine, culture, entertainment and sport. Together, these elements helped present Qatar as a destination with experiences that appeal to different interests.

Food can introduce visitors to local traditions, while interactive activities encourage participation and entertainment creates opportunities for shared experiences. In a public activation such as La Parada, these elements work together to make destination promotion more engaging and memorable.

The initiative also illustrates the value of partnerships in international marketing. Visit Qatar’s collaboration with Toma Café helped bring the culinary element to life, while its relationship with the Audi Revolut F1® Team provided a connection to the global motorsport audience.

La Parada and Visit Qatar’s Audi Revolut F1® Team Partnership

Visit Qatar’s presence in Madrid was connected to its partnership with the Audi Revolut F1® Team, using motorsport as a platform to introduce the destination to new audiences.

Alongside La Parada, Visit Qatar launched a campaign inviting fans to discover Qatar through the perspectives of Audi Revolut F1® Team drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto. Qatari rally legend Nasser Al-Attiyah guided the drivers through the campaign, connecting their motorsport profiles with the destination’s attractions and identity.

The campaign complemented the public activation by extending the invitation to discover Qatar beyond the physical event. While La Parada offered an in-person experience in Madrid, the campaign encouraged fans to explore the country through the perspectives of recognised motorsport personalities.

This approach connects destination marketing with a global sporting community. Motorsport attracts audiences across different countries, creating opportunities for tourism organisations to introduce destinations to people who may be interested in combining sporting experiences with travel, culture and hospitality.

La Parada Highlights Qatar’s Tourism and Hospitality Offering

La Parada brought Qatari flavours and hospitality into the heart of Madrid, welcoming more than 7,000 visitors through a programme of food, interactive experiences and giveaways.

The partnership with Toma Café, the karak and raspberry ice cream concept, and the connection with the Audi Revolut F1® Team helped present different aspects of Qatar through a single public activation.

For Visit Qatar, the initiative formed part of a wider effort to build international awareness and encourage audiences to discover the country through its cultural, culinary and tourism experiences. By combining food, entertainment and sport, La Parada offered a distinctive introduction to Qatar in the Spanish capital.