Under the Patronage of H.E. Mr. Saad bin Ali Al Kharji, Chairman of Qatar Tourism and the Board of Directors of Visit Qatar, Mr. Omar Al Jaber, Acting Director of Tourism Development at Qatar Tourism, inaugurated the ninth edition of Hospitality Qatar. Organized by IFP Qatar, the event is being held from November 12 to 14, 2024, at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC). The opening ceremony was attended by His Excellency Mr. Sultan bin Rashid Al Khater, Consultant to HE The Minister at Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and Hamid Bentahar, President of the National Confederation of Tourism in Morocco, along with a host of prominent local and foreign dignitaries, including ambassadors from participating countries and leaders of international delegations.
In a speech at the opening ceremony, Al Jaber stated: “At Qatar Tourism, we are proud to be the strategic partner of Hospitality Qatar 2024, a unique platform that showcases the latest advancements and innovations in such vital sectors. This partnership reaffirms our unwavering commitment to supporting and strengthening Qatar’s hospitality and tourism industry.”
Al Jaber added: “The significant development Qatar has seen in infrastructure and hospitality facilities is no coincidence; it is the result of a strategic vision aimed at positioning Qatar as a leading tourist destination. Hosting events like this reflects Qatar’s commitment to improving and developing the tourism sector as a cornerstone of economic diversification, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.”
Following the opening ceremony, Qatar Tourism and IFP Qatar hosted a special awards ceremony titled ‘Ambassadors of Excellence’ to honour seniors from different departments in Qatar’s hotel industry for their outstanding service in 2024. Honourees received certificates of appreciation and award plaques from Mr. Omar Al Jaber.
Reflecting on the success of the first day, Haidar Mshaimesh, General Manager of IFP Qatar, said: “Hospitality Qatar is the country’s leading international trade exhibition and conference for hospitality and hotels, restaurants and cafes (HORECA). Organized in partnership with Qatar Tourism, the expo has attracted over 120 suppliers and service providers across the hospitality, HORECA, tourism, and food and beverage (F&B) sectors from more than 20 countries. It also brings together investors and hospitality pioneers in Qatar to explore investment opportunities in the country’s dynamic hospitality and tourism industry.”
He added: “This year, we proudly highlight the participation of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the event’s government partner, with a dedicated pavilion hosting a high-level Moroccan delegation as part of the Qatar-Morocco Year of Culture. Led by Hamid Bentahar, President of the National Confederation of Tourism in Morocco, the delegation includes senior officials representing Morocco’s public and private hospitality and tourism industry.”
Mshaimesh highlighted that: “Hospitality Qatar has steadily expanded its scope and offerings over the years to meet the increasing demand of the hospitality sector both locally and globally. This year’s agenda includes industry conferences, training sessions, and competitions tailored for HORECA, in addition to the B2B Matchmaking Program that connects industry leaders with potential buyers and investors, providing a unique platform to showcase products and services as well as forming new partnerships.”
He noted: “This year’s event features a comprehensive lineup of activities, including the Salon Culinaire competitions, where over 175 chefs from 35 top hotels in Doha will compete across 20 different categories, presenting innovative recipes from various cuisines. For the first time, the exhibition will also host live cooking demonstrations by renowned culinary experts from France, Morocco, and beyond.”
Hospitality Qatar provides the ideal platform for all exhibitors, whether they are producers, suppliers, or industry professionals to reach their target markets while fostering growth within the sector. The event covers all segments of the industry, including hotels and facilities, interiors and design, leisure and entertainment, travel and tourism, resorts and landscaping, cutting-edge hospitality tech and supplies for HORECA, eco-friendly hotel systems and solutions, and F&B industry, among others.
Hospitality Qatar offers an unparalleled opportunity to showcase the latest innovations, streamline business ventures, enhance networking opportunities, and enable suppliers in the hospitality industry to connect with key decision-makers and buyers from top hotels, restaurants, and F&B outlets in Qatar. As such, it serves as a powerful catalyst for the country’s rapidly expanding hospitality sector, which is thriving amid the current tourism boom. This surge has positively impacted the hospitality sector and a range of related industries, as Qatar has achieved a new record in visitor arrivals, reaching 4 million visitors in the first nine months of this year. This figure matches the total number of visitors recorded throughout all of 2023, marking a 26% year-on-year growth compared to the same period in 2023.
The latest report from Alpen Capital, a leading investment banking advisory firm, forecasts that Qatar’s hospitality industry revenue will witness the highest growth rate in the GCC. According to the report, the sector’s revenue is expected to surge from QAR 3.64bn in 2024 to QAR 4.36bn in 2026, reaching QAR 5.46bn by 2028. This remarkable growth is largely driven by Qatar’s visa facilitation measures, including visas on arrival to citizens from about 102 countries. In addition, Qatar has simplified its visa procedure by re-launching the Hayya platform in 2023, which serves as a centralised platform for all tourist and corporate visas. The country has also been developing a wide range of tourist attractions, including various cultural and modern landmarks, while consistently hosting major international events all year round.
Qatar’s hospitality sector is reaping the benefits of the successful strategy implemented by Qatar Tourism, which aims to attract visitors from 15 key source markets worldwide, including Saudi Arabia, India, China, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Australia, South Africa, Russia, Turkey, Iran, and the GCC countries. The strategy also focuses on expanding the reach of international representative offices, launching regional and international marketing campaigns, curating a robust calendar of world-class events year-round, strengthening the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) sector by leveraging the country’s modern infrastructure, and developing the hospitality sector by establishing new leisure destinations and districts, launching luxury shopping centres and investing in Qatar’s natural assets.
Qatar Tourism is continuously expanding and diversifying its offerings while providing significant support to the hospitality sector, which is set to drive substantial growth. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) forecasts robust performance for Qatar’s tourism and travel sector between 2024 and 2034.The sector is anticipated to grow its annual GDP contribution to more than QAR 135bn by 2034, nearly 13% of Qatar’s economy, a notable increase from the QAR 90.8bn, or 11.3% of GDP, projected for 2024.
According to the WTTC, spending by international travellers is expected to rise by 15.9%, from QAR 69.6bn in 2024 to a record-breaking QAR 116bn by 2034. Domestic visitor spending is projected to see steady growth, increasing from QAR 12bn in 2024 to QAR 16.1bn by 2034, with an annual increase of 2.9%. The sector is forecasted to create 123,400 new jobs during the period from 2024 to 2034, with total employment in the sector increasing from 334,500 jobs in 2024 to 457,900 jobs by 2034.
Third National Development Strategy (NDS3) 2024-2030 targets strengthening Qatar’s position as a premier family-tourism destination, while bolstering the MICE sector. The strategy aims to attract 6 million visitors by 2030, increase total in-destination spending to QAR 34bn, and achieve 19 million room nights. NDS3 also introduces a range of initiatives to enhance the attractiveness and competitiveness of Qatar’s tourism cluster, including the activation of tourism policies, as well as leveraging the unique connectivity provided by Qatar Airways, developing tourism assets tailored to visitor needs, elevating service excellence, creating new tourism packages, and crafting an unparalleled visitor experience.
