Peter Alagos
Local experts have been urged to act as Qatar’s ambassadors for events related to Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (Mice) to help promote the country’s reputation as a world-class hub.
“We encourage Qatar-based subject matter experts to become members of international organisations and ‘ambassadors’ with a view to bidding to host a future rotation of an associated event,” Abdulaziz al-Kuwari, acting director (sales and marketing), Qatar Mice Development Institute (QMDI), told Gulf Times.
Pointing out that an event brings enormous benefits to the professional community and the destination, he explained that an “ambassador” was a person of knowledge in stature, influential in his/her field, and a subject matter expert who could act as a representative of a destination and was prepared to assist in securing conference business for the destination.
“QMDI, a Qatar Foundation joint venture, is resourced – to global standards and practices, using a mix of local Qatari talent and international industry experts,” al-Kuwari said.
“In order to boost the Mice sector within Qatar, QMDI actively participates in the international market to promote the capacity and capability of Qatar to deliver successful events,” he said.
Attendance at industry-related events is crucial to networking with peers, face-to-face meeting with hosted buyers, and knowledge sharing and best practices. It also provides the potential to attract large-scale international corporate and association events.
When asked what measures or strategies QMDI was implementing to make Qatar a Mice destination, al-Kuwari said successful events came with delivering the right experience and event solutions.
“We strive to work in collaboration with our clients and stakeholders. We find this approach to be the most effective way to achieve the desired results when creating and developing concepts, ideas and solutions,” he observed.
QMDI maximises on events like the International Meetings Exhibition (IMEX), Gulf Incentives, Business Travel and Meetings Expo (GIBTM), Incentives, Business Travel and Meetings Expo China (CIBTM), and groups like the International Conference and Convention Association (ICCA) as venues for MICE development.
“This allows QMDI to develop a deeper understanding of the strategic importance of association events, identify new opportunities, initiate government support, and solicit support from local professionals,” al-Kuwari stressed.
As part of Qatar Foundation’s strategies and in line with Qatar’s vision of transforming the country into a knowledge-based economy, al-Kuwari said QMDI’s key target market was the association market – specifically, knowledge-based conferences and exhibitions from the Mena region and other countries.
He also said “quality standard” was a major factor in service delivery, which was why QMDI had pursued ISO accreditation to validate its capability to provide world-class standard of service excellence and increase client loyalty.
“As a Qatari organisation, we understand the culture, philosophy, and demands of the region. Globally, we aim to create a leading brand that will continue to provide a service that offers clients a unique experience by constantly investing in our team, skills, equipment and technology to ensure that we stay ahead in our ever-changing industry,” al-Kuwari added.
