As part of its initiative at supporting tourism startups and scaleups, the Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) will set up the country’s first Corporate Tourism Incubation Zone at the Qatar Business Incubation Centre (QBIC).
Recently, QTA signed an agreement to the effect with Qatar Development Bank (QDB).
The contract between QTA and QDB will drive QBIC’s mission to “develop the next QR100mn” companies in Qatar by “encouraging aspiring entrepreneurs” to become private sector investors and address gaps that exist in the country’s tourism value chain. The aim is to help position Qatar as a tourism and hospitality hub.
QBIC is the largest mixed-use business incubator in the Mena (Middle East and North Africa) region. QBIC was founded by two of Qatar’s leading government institutions supporting local entrepreneurs: QDB and the Social Development Centre (SDC).
One of QBIC’s flagship initiatives is LeanStartup, turning innovative ideas into startup businesses. LeanStartup is a 10-week entrepreneurial programme, which provides real world, hands-on learning experience on how to successfully start a company.
QTA chairman Issa bin Mohammed al-Mohannadi said, “As the entity in charge of planning, regulating, and promoting sustainable tourism in Qatar, QTA closely works with stakeholders from the public and private sectors to support various initiatives aimed to develop a mature and booming tourism sector.”
“One of the ways of achieving this aim is by backing startup and scaleup tourism projects, in line with the objectives of the National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030 aimed to advance Qatar’s tourism industry and help in diversifying the economy and reducing Qatar’s dependence on its hydrocarbon resources.”
Gaps in Qatar’s tourism value chain will be addressed by different means including the incubation of startups, scaleups and the hosting of new international companies setting up in Qatar.
Identified projects include a luxury dhow dining cruise company, a luxury coach company, a 4x4 car leasing company, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions (MICE) companies, events destination management companies (DMC) and integrated ticking and mobile information centres.
QDB chief executive and QBIC chairman Abdulaziz bin Nasser al-Khalifa said, “We are proud to partner and work closely with our colleagues at the Qatar Tourism Authority to implement an initiative that is vital for the advancement of Qatar’s tourism sector and one of the starting points towards achieving tourism strategy as part of the Qatar 2030 vision. This is in line with QBIC’s main mission of developing the next QR100mn companies in Qatar.”
These projects will be developed in collaboration with the local and international private sector and the support of QDB and QBIC. QBIC, through the Corporate Incubator Zone, will provide incubation services to scaleups, help setup of international firms, build capacity of entrepreneurs and business leaders, and support promoting QTA’s business programs directed at SME’s.
QBIC chief executive officer Aysha al-Mudahka said, “We are delighted to establish the tourism Incubation Zone at QBIC that promote QTA’s objectives. With our purpose-built facilities and entrepreneurial expertise, QBIC is the best place for tourism businesses to get off the ground and flourish.”


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