Doha, 20 Sept. 2024

IFP Qatar has announced that the 9th edition of Hospitality Qatar will take place in partnership with Qatar Tourism and under the esteemed patronage of its Chairman, Saad bin Ali Al Kharji from November 12 to 14, 2024, at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC).

Hospitality Qatar is country’s leading international trade exhibition and conference for tourism, hospitality, and hotels, restaurants and cafes (HORECA). The expo attracts annually more than 150 exhibitors from suppliers and service providers in the hospitality, HORECA, and food and beverage (F&B) sectors from around the world. It also brings together leading investors and hospitality pioneers in Qatar to explore potential investment opportunities within the country’s dynamic hospitality and tourism industry.

Haidar Mshaimesh, General Manager of IFP Qatar, said: “Hospitality Qatar has firmly established itself as one of the leading specialized events in the regional hospitality industry. It provides an unparalleled platform designed to showcase the latest products, 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. Therefore, this event is a significant boost for Qatar’s hospitality sector, which is experiencing rapid growth amidst the current tourism boom in the country. This surge is not only advancing the hospitality sector but also positively influencing a range of interconnected industries.”

He highlighted: “The ninth edition of Hospitality Qatar will feature a diverse range of activities with many firsts, including the Qatar Halal Forum 2024, a specialized conference that focuses on halal tourism and hospitality.

He added that Halal tourism is one of the fastest-growing segments in the global travel industry, with an estimated market value of more than $300 billion by 2026. Qatar ranks 6th in the Master card-Crescent rating Global Muslim Travel Index 2024, it also leads as the most accessible destination for Muslim travelers, and ranks third in the category of Muslim Women-Friendly destinations.

This highlights Qatar’s emergence as a global leader in halal tourism, increasingly becoming the preferred destination for Muslim travelers worldwide. Catering to both the recreational needs and cultural sensitivity of visitors, Qatar’s tourism sector is setting new benchmarks. The upcoming Qatar Halal Forum 2024 will address key topics including the future of halal hospitality, global trends in halal travel, integrating halal principles in hotel and tourism management, and marketing strategies tailored for halal tourism, featuring insights from global leaders and innovators. Additionally, the event will host live cooking competitions with over 400 chefs from Doha’s hotels and restaurants, showcasing their culinary skills across various categories.”

Mshaimesh noted: “Hospitality Qatar will provide the ideal platform for all exhibitors, whether they are producers, suppliers, or industry professionals to reach their target markets while also 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.”

He added: “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 3.64 bn in 2024 to QAR 4.36 bn in 2026, reaching QAR 5.46 bn 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.”

Mshaimesh pointed out that: “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.”

He continued: “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, sprs is expected to rise by 15.9%, from QAR 69.6 bn in 2024 to a record-breaking QAR 116 bn ending by international travelers by 2034. Domestic visitor spending is projected to see steady growth, increasing from QAR 12 bn in 2024 to QAR 16.1  bn 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.

Mshaimesh stated: “Third National Development Strategy (NDS3) 2024 November 2030 targets strengthening Qatar’s position as a premier family-tourism destination, while bolstering the MICE sector.

He added that the strategy aims to attract 6 million visitors by 2030, increase total in-destination spending to QAR 34 bn, 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.”

According to latest figures released by Qatar Tourism, visitor arrivals saw a significant 26.2% year-on-year increase, reaching 2.95 million visitors in the first seven months of this year, up from 2.34 million visitors in the same period last year. Moreover, the overall supply of hotel rooms in Qatar reached 39,910, while revenue per available room (RevPAR) stood at QAR 244 by the end of the first half of 2024.

About IFP Qatar

IFP Qatar is part of IFP Group, the Middle East’s leading trade fair organizer with representative offices across the world. IFP works across a wide range of sectors and has delivered the region’s most important events. The company’s international trade fairs are designed to be ideal and dynamic platforms for foreign and local companies doing business in the Middle East and seeking exposure to top regional buyers and decision-makers.

For more information, please visit www.ifpexpo.com