The irresistible rise of tourism in Qatar

Qatar has set its sights on domination of the Middle Eastern Tourism market with a series of ambitious developments and expansion plans.

As the destination gears up for the annual World Travel Awards Grand Final, Breaking Travel News calls in to check out the latest developments in this most exciting of destinations.

Hotel Developments in Qatar

Qatar is currently leading hotel growth in the Middle East and Africa with plans to grow its current number of 6,604 rooms by nearly 80 per cent, according to the recent figures released by STR Global.

There are currently 77 new hotels and 42 hotel apartments under construction in the destination, bringing a total of 21,107 new rooms into the Qatari hospitality market over the next few years.

Many of these are luxury hotels offering the finest service and facilities, including world class restaurants and spas.

Ritz Carlton’s Sharq Village & Spa in Doha is one of these luxurious properties.

The hotel’s general manager Joe Ghayad explains: “When I arrived in Doha in 2001, we were maybe the only luxurious hotel.

“Nowadays in 2011 you can see more than 22 five star hotels. So really it was a boom, especially in the last five years.”

He added: “This year alone, around 30 hotels opened in Doha.”

This year also sees the opening of the Qatar National Convention Centre at Education City – which will host some of the highest profile events and conferences.


Ritz Carlton’s Sharq Village & Spa guest rooms with beautiful hand-picked furnishings from Arabia and the Orient

Hotel Giants Eye Qatar

More than 35 hotels are set to open in Qatar in 2011, according to Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA).

Despite this large number of new rooms, occupancy rates for all hotels in Qatar grew by two per cent, reaching 63 per cent in the first six months of 2011 compared to 61 per cent for the same period in 2010, according to a report released by QTA.

QTA reported the number of tourists saw a 12.3 per cent increase during the same period, which it attributed partly to the Asian Football Cup and other sport events held in Doha.

Jumeirah is among the among the hospitality giants eyeing up opening new properties in Qatar in the wake of major events including the 2022 World Cup.

The group recently confirmed that Qatar is in their development pipeline.

Lire la suite : http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/focus/article/the-rise-of-qatar/

Source : Breaking travel news