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Qatar moves full steam ahead

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The Pearl Qatar development in Doha

Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) has put together a delegation of 30 hotels, tour operators and other travel industry suppliers to take part in this year’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM).

Qatar is a destination with its roots firmly embedded in the traditions of its past, but with ambitions firmly focused on the 21st century and beyond, a statement released by Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) states.

QTA’s stepping up of marketing activities in an effort to diversify the country’s tourism industry has borne fruit and is changing the Qatar’s visitor profile, says chief marketing and promotions officer Rashed AlQurese. 'Business travel and the Mice sector will continue to be vitally important to Qatar, but our leisure and recreational potential is attracting growing numbers of visitors from regional and international markets.'


Arrival figures

The first quarter of 2015 has seen Qatar’s visitor arrivals top 840,000, a rise of 11 per cent over the same period last year.

Last year, the number of GCC visitors to Qatar rose by 3 per cent to reach 1.12 million, equivalent to about 40 per cent of the 2.83 million total arrivals. A dramatic increase was recorded in visitors from Asia, which rose by 20 per cent last year, with India (up 21 per cent to 403,000 arrivals), China (up 62 per cent to 28,000), Japan (up 19 per cent to 18,000) and Iran (up 47 per cent to 18,000).

The UK continues to dominate Qatar’s European source markets, with 135,000 British arrivals in 2014, followed by France (43,000), Germany (39,000) and Italy (34,000).

Italy is notably one of Qatar’s rapidly expanding European markets with a 16 per cent growth compared with 2013.

'Tourism visas issued grew by 21 per cent in 2014, substantially exceeding the 13 per cent increase in business visas,' says AlQurese.

Last year, QTA expanded the number of its international offices from two – in the UK and France – to five, with new representation in Germany (also covering German-speaking Austria and Switzerland), Saudi Arabia (covering the GCC) and South East Asia (Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong).


Hotel occupancy

Average hotel occupancy reached 73 per cent last year, a significant increase of 65 per cent in 2013. The largest gains were recorded in the five-star segment, which soared to 71 per cent from 61 per cent. This translated into revenue growth across the entire industry. Revenue per available room (RevPAR) increased 8.3 per cent in 2014.

85 hotels and 22 hotel apartment complexes in operation in 2014 boasted a combined total of nearly 19,000 available rooms throughout the year. Five-star hotels dominated the market.

Accommodation options represented at ATM will include five-star, four-star and boutique hotels, as well as hotel apartments. Besides accommodation options, QTA’s stand will also feature many of Qatar’s top tour operators and destination management companies (DMCs).


Looking to the future

An impressive list of new hotel openings is in the pipeline. Stand-out properties include the Shangri-La, set to open next month, the Mandarin Oriental Doha, the Waldorf Astoria Doha, West Bay, both scheduled for next year, and Le Méridien Doha, which currently has an opening date of 2018.

The 2014 launch of the Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030 has provided a roadmap for future tourism development, clearly defining specific targets and highlighting priorities. This includes the goal of attracting 7 to 9 million visitors annually by 2030, as well as recommendations on hotel and infrastructure requirements, tourism services and key target markets.

Qatar Tourism Authority representatives can be found on stand number ME1510.


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GCC remains top market

“The GCC is our most important market, accounting for some 40 per cent of Qatar’s total visitor arrivals, and it is vital that we maintain a high profile while planning activities in these key markets,” says Rashed Al Qurese, chief marketing and promotions officer, Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA).

“Our message is that Qatar is an exciting and convenient destination for both business and leisure travel, with special appeal for families seeking a luxury break,” Al Qurese comments.

“We are working to make GCC consumers aware that Qatar offers the ideal packages for top-quality accommodation, cultural attractions, shopping, dining and other leisure activities appealing to regional travellers.”

‘Facilities for family entertainment’ is a key theme in QTA’s GCC promotions.

“Doha’s hotels offer children’s pools, well-equipped safe play areas, babysitting services, children’s menus and all the other services to cater to a family’s complete needs while facilities are also excellent outside of the hotel complexes,” Al Qurese says.

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