Tourism & Hospitality | Wednesday 13 July, 2016 3:35 pm |

Hospitality Qatar 2016 is a key exhibition for the thriving Hospitality and Hotels, Restaurants, and Cafes (HORECA) sectors in Qatar. The countdown to this year’s event has started, with fewer than 100 days remaining to the event. Taking place from 18 – 20 October at the ultra-modern Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC), the exhibition will be under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani, Minister of Economy and Commerce. 

 

The show, licensed by the Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), will be one of the premier hospitality-related events in the region, as it features all aspects of the hotel and franchise market in the Gulf region. The exposition is designed to build a strong platform for local, regional and international HORECA suppliers to meet hospitality professionals from around the region. It will also allow franchise brands, hotel groups, developers, bankers and consultants to network and build new business opportunities with hotels and franchise investors. 

 

Hospitality Qatar 2016 is being launched at a time when Qatar is emerging as a major player in the hospitality and franchise investment market in the GCC. Due, in part, to the massive build-up required for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the markets for Food and Beverage, HORECA supply, and hotel construction are peaking.

 

The last few years have seen a swift expansion in the number of hotels and other tourism facilities in Qatar, as the government has invested in transforming the country into a luxury, sports and business destination. Through Qatar’s National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030, Qatar has adopted a comprehensive approach to addressing sustainability in all aspects of the tourism industry, with a special focus on creating a thriving hospitality sector in the country. In fact, more than 40 billion USD of investments are planned in this sector over the next 15 years.

Highlighting the need for the Qatar market to host such a hospitality exhibition, Mr. Rawad Sleem, Project Manager of the show was quoted as saying “There has been a tremendous response from exhibitors, especially those that participated in last year’s successful Hospitality Qatar show. Companies have cited the rapid growth of the hospitality and HORECA sectors in Qatar as a reason for vying to be part of this year’s exposition. With obvious business drivers such as the FIFA 2022 World Cup and the Qatar National Vision 2030, we are expecting a record turnout by exhibitors and attendees, alike.” Mr. Sleem went on to add “we are very pleased with the high level of international interest from suppliers outside of Qatar, such as: China, Germany, India, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Philippines, Romania, Turkey, etc.  On the heels of last year’s success, it has become clear that HORECA suppliers from around the world have chosen Qatar as a go-to point to participate in the local market boom.”

 

Hospitality Qatar 2016 is playing a major role in helping suppliers from around the world meet many types of visitors. These include hotel investors, consultants & engineers, franchise and retail investors, hotel/restaurant/lounge managers and owners, franchise operators, HORECA operators, hotel management companies, food & beverage executives, event and catering managers, operations and procurement managers, sales and marketing managers, facility managers, corporate purchasing managers, and many more.  This mix is making Hospitality Qatar 2016 the meeting platform of choice of the hospitality industry in Qatar.   

 

The show has received valuable support and sponsorship from several entities in Qatar including: Qatar Culinary Professionals (Leading Partner), World Association of Chief Societies (Official Supporting Body), Falcon Technical Trading (Registration Sponsor), Inox Kitchen Equipment (Associate Sponsor), ASKAR (Official Kitchen Sponsor) and others.

Hospitality Qatar 2016 has further enhanced its programmes to include three features: B2B matchmaking, an online platform specifically designed with the Canadian company B2B2GO one of the world leaders in the field of online business platforms; which will host buyers, decision makers, hoteliers, chiefs, procurements and marketing directors to meet with suppliers during the show, through a set of pre-arranged meetings, in a bid to create fruitful business. product demos, which will allow exhibitors to present their products to industry targeted visitors and various training workshops which will focus on the education side of the business providing industry knowledge. 

Hospitality Qatar 2016 will also feature the Salon Culinaire, a concurrent event attracting the country’s leading chefs to compete across nineteen special categories. The Salon Culinaire is organized and co-organized by IFP Qatar LLC and the Qatar Culinary Professionals Association. It will be supervised by the World Association of Chefs Societies for Africa & the Middle East (WACS) and judged by regional and international judges.

Hospitality Qatar 2016 is preparing to become the ultimate platform of the hospitality and HORECA industry in Qatar and the GCC, attracting and hosting the best of the industry in one place.