Destination management sector thriving as World Cup fans continue to arrive

Destination management companies (DMCs) in Qatar are witnessing opportunities to promote and showcase destinations across the country as more and more FIFA World Cup fans continue to arrive here, the president of the Doha-based Italian Chamber of Commerce has said.
According to Palma Libotte, destination management “is a new thriving sector” now that the World Cup is underway and since many of the mega-projects related to the tournament have been delivered by the government.
“When business consulting for events was slowing down because the main projects for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 were already assigned, there was a new gap in the market for services.
“As tourists and fans started arriving in Qatar for the tournament, tour companies in the country need more refined services considering that Qatar is a destination, which is only six hours away from Europe,” Libotte told Gulf Times Wednesday.
Libotte emphasised that destination management is a very thriving sector, most especially during global events, such as the World Cup. She explained that DMCs handle all the different ground services that are sold to tourists when they arrive – from hotels, restaurants, tours, and tour guides, to airport transfers, among others.
She noted that Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup has added value to many small companies in different sectors across the country, such as DMCs, providing visibility and market reach.
Libotte stressed that small companies like DMCs should learn to be flexible and quick to adjust to the rapid changes in market dynamics in order to be successful.
“Flexibility is a key feature for a successful business...the opportunities are there. Companies must also have the capacity to interpret the customer’s needs while respecting the local culture to offer the best product possible,” Libotte pointed out.
New York-based Croatian-Americans, Vivek Mehta, Ami and Anik Patel, and Stasha and Gordana Novakovic, are among the FIFA World Cup fans currently touring different destinations in the country via QTours, the first Italian DMC in Qatar.
While visiting the Sealine Beach in Mesaieed, Metha said his group marvelled at the “beauty of the desert as it meets the shores of the Arabian Sea.”
Amy, an American tourist, also said: “I am enjoying the World Cup, so far. It’s my first time in Qatar and everybody is so wonderful. They are very accommodating and very nice people.”
Libotte added: “The best promotion is by word of mouth – through the tourists that visit Qatar. The positive experience and enthusiasm they will bring back home will be a great marketing campaign for Qatar.”