Qatar New Hotels |
More than 6,000 new hotel rooms opened up in the third
quarter of 2011 alone;
Qatar
has recorded positive hotel performance results in 2011 according to STR
Global, reflecting increasing demand and interest in business and tourism as it
prepares to host the 2022 World Cup.
Occupancy remained stable last year edging 0.4% higher from 2010 while average daily rates increased 0.7% STR Global said. Meanwhile, more than 6,000 hotel rooms comprising of 25 hotels and 10 hotel apartments opened up in the market in the third quarter of last year according to the Qatar Tourism Authority.
Qatar New Hotels |
Supporting these positive results, Arabian Travel Market (ATM), the leading
travel exhibition in the Middle East, is
witnessing strong online visitor interest months ahead of the event. The number
of pre-registered visitors from Qatar
up is already up 133% from last year, while the number of visitors who are
interested in buying products and services from Qatar has risen 109%.
“Over the coming 10 years the rise in visitors to Qatar will be driven largely by the business sector as the Gulf state continues to put in place world-class infrastructure for the World Cup, and also beyond for its 2030 vision,” said Mark Walsh, Portfolio Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions.
Qatar New Hotels |
In addition to the construction of 12 new football stadiums, Qatar is
building 77 new hotels and 42 hotel apartments ahead of the 2022 tournament.
Over US $100 billion worth of infrastructure is also due to be completed,
including the new US $11 billion Doha International Airport,
the US $6 billion Doha
port project and a US $25 billion metro and railway system.
The number of tourist arrivals to Qatar is expected to reach as many as 3.7 million by 2022, up from 900,000 currently, according to the Secretary General of Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, Hassan al-Thawadi.
Visitor registrations for the four-day Arabian Travel Market show, which opens on 30 April 2012, are already up 132% from the same time last year, at nearly 2,000 visitors. Top tourism bodies including Qatar National Hotels Company, the Qatar Tourism Authority and Qatar Airways will lead exhibitor presence from the Gulf state.
Qatar New Hotels |
European pre-registrations for the event have also risen 94%. The number of
tourists visiting the Middle East is expected
to grow by up to 5% this year following an 8% decline last year, according to a
recent report by the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). There were an
estimated five million fewer international tourist arrivals last year, down to
55 million, due to the turmoil in some of the region’s countries, UNWTO said.
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai and approaching its nineteenth year, the show has grown to become the largest showcase of its kind in the region and one of the biggest in the world. Last year 2,232 exhibitors covering nearly 20,000 square metres, attracted more than 22,000 attendees.
Qatar New Hotels |
The line-up for this year’s Arabian Travel Market will bring
together annual favourites and a number of brand new events including the
inaugural UNWTO regional tourism ministers’ conference and the WTM Vision
forum, which will focus on Middle East travel trends and the online travel
market Covering the entire week, the popular Seminar Theatre series of sessions will
address industry hot topics from developments in the aviation sector and hotel
branding to Sharia-compliant travel.
The all-new Tech Theatre is a dedicated platform that provides an opportunity
to gain invaluable insight into leading edge industry-related technologies
including social media and GDS.
Qatar New Hotels |
For the second year running, Arabian Travel Market will once again host its own
unique industry version of The Apprentice to uncover the best emerging regional
talent.
Other regular features include the New Frontiers Award, which recognises outstanding contributions to tourism development in the face of overwhelming adversity, and the perennially popular industry Careers Day will wrap up the week.
No comments:
Post a Comment