Qatar Tourism Awards: the categories

The Qatar Tourism Awards' categories cover the critical areas that enhance the travel experience in Qatar. From here, you can explore the criteria for each category and discover the benchmarks you need to meet.

• Service excellence

Service excellence awards recognise exceptional hotels, spas, resorts, holiday homes, and new accommodations. They honour those who deliver outstanding experiences, whether that be front-line workers, expert tour guides, or leading destination management companies."These awards are for everyone, industry leaders, entities and individuals that are the backbone of our sector and, the community at large.Our community is at the forefront of everything we do, from bringing the best entertainment, sport events, international events and ensuring service excellence at every touch point."These Awards are no different, we created these awards to shed light on the best our sector has to offer, encourage entities and individuals to stay at the top of their game and create healthy competition to strive for excellence.For the second edition of the QT Awards, we celebrate the industry’s achievements across seven categories,” QT chairman HE Saad Bin Ali al-Kharji said.

• Gastronomic experiences

The gastronomic experiences awards focus on Qatar's dining scene, recognising exceptional eateries for fine and casual dining, through to quick service establishments, standout cafes, authentic Qatari dining experiences, and Qatar’s outstanding new restaurant."This year we expanded our categories to include more entities and created a wider selection to make sure the entire tourism ecosystem is included. The categories are Service Excellence, Gastronomic Experiences, Iconic Attractions and Activities, World Class Events, Digital Footprint, Smart and SustainableTourism, and Community Leadership."This year we also added the Tourism Influencer of the year, in recognition of their inspiring work. Each category highlights a crucial aspect of our sector, in its own right,” Omar al-Jaber, Chief of Tourism Development at QT, said.

• Iconic attractions and activities

These awards spotlight Qatar's most iconic attractions and those that embody the nation’s vibrant spirit and diversity, from enriching cultural experiences and thrilling adventure tourism to exceptional shopping malls and exhilarating theme parks."Our values focus on who is offering authentic and memorable experiences and deliver service excellence for our community and visitors. Which entity has the best sustainability and accessibility practices and who is providing the best smart solutions,” Visit Qatar CEO Abdulaziz Ali al-Mawlawi said.World-class eventsOur world-class events awards honour standout events that elevate Qatar's global profile. These range from the top MICE event of the year and the leading event celebrating local culture to the premier sports event of the year.

• Digital footprint

The digital footprint awards recognise digital frontrunners reshaping Qatar's global image through exceptional marketing campaigns, the 'Capture Qatar' award for outstanding photo or video, and the tourism influencer of the year.Smart and sustainable tourismThese awards honour initiatives that enhance tourism while prioritising sustainability. From groundbreaking projects and accessibility enhancements for tourists with disabilities to leading sustainable attractions and eco-friendly accommodations.

• Community leadership

These awards spotlight those who lead with innovation and dedication. Categories include 'Hotelier of the Year', to recognise rising talent."The first edition of the Qatar Tourism Awards highlighted the excellency of the tourism sector that is being implemented in the country. This second edition aims at encouraging companies and entrepreneurs to keep contributing to the development of a sustainable tourism strategy that incorporates the highest levels of service and innovation, enriched with Qatar's cultural experience,” UN Tourism secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili said.