Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) will take part in the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) Berlin 2015 to promote Qatar as a unique and leading destination in the German-speaking European market. ITB begins tomorrow.
As part of its effort to boost international tourist arrivals, QTA will also exhibit a range of the destination’s attractions, services and initiatives as it considers Germany a key growth market.
“We are seeing a highly encouraging growth with the travel trade, media and consumers and it is clear that Qatar ‘has what it takes’ to appeal to visitors from this part of the world,” said Rashed al-Qurese, chief marketing and promotions officer, QTA.
He added that Qatar welcomed around 40,000 arrivals from Germany, some 6,000 from Austria, and nearly 8,000 from Switzerland in 2014. “These are solid foundations on which to build.”
To capitalise on this potential, QTA is leading a strong delegation for this year’s ITB, which takes place in Berlin until next Sunday. Some 22 tourism organisations, comprising 14 hotels and eight destination management companies (DMCs), will be exhibiting on the Qatar stand.
“We will provide trade visitors with a comprehensive insight into the destination and its attractions. The wide range of hotels and other tourism suppliers taking part means our stand is effectively a ‘one-stop shop’ for doing business with Qatar’s tourism sector,” said al-Qurese.
Since Qatar is well-known as a major international business destination, he pointed out that a key objective at ITB will be to introduce the country’s leisure and recreational facilities to the German, and wider European travel trade.
“Leisure travel from most European countries is increasing and exceeding the expansion in business visitors, and we expect this trend to gain momentum,” al-Qurese added.
Qatar’s hospitality offerings will be well showcased at ITB. Many of the leading international hotel brands will be exhibiting on the stand, together with local and regional hotel groups.
“Collectively, participants will provide visitors with an excellent cross-section of Qatar’s hospitality offerings, focusing on the five-star, four-star and boutique hotel sectors,” said the QTA senior official.
These will include the Grand Hyatt Doha, Grand Regal, Four Seasons, InterContinental Doha, Ritz-Carlton and Sharq Village and Spa, St Regis, Sheraton Doha Resort and Convention Hotel, Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels, The Torch, Retaj Hotels and Hospitality, Concord Hotel Doha and The Plaza Inn.
Two new Doha hotels - Banana Island Resort by Antanara and the Marsa Malaz Kempinski - will be launching their properties on the international market at ITB which are both important additions to Qatar’s impressive existing portfolio of luxury hotels.
Many of the local top tour operators and DMCs will be represented with QTA at ITB. These include Arabian Adventures Qatar, Qatar International Adventures, Gulf Adventures, Regency Holidays, Discover Qatar (the holiday division of Qatar Airways), Sand Dunes, Travel Designer and Arab Destination of Tourism.
These companies have experience in looking after European visitors, providing ground transport, tours, sightseeing and other more specialised arrangements such as incentive travel itineraries.
Besides providing a platform for representative of Qatar’s hotels and private tourism suppliers, ITB will also give QTA an opportunity to promote a range of other attractions, services and initiatives.
The stand will feature a promotion for QTA’s Tawash online destination training programme, where travel agents and other tourism professionals are able to sign up, via on-stand tablets, at www.tawashqatar.com and start the process of becoming accredited experts on Qatar.
This programme, which has already proved successful in attracting European travel agents, is designed to build up an international team of authoritative ‘tourism ambassadors’ for the destination in their respective home markets.
Al-Qurese stressed that while participation at ITB is a major highlight of QTA’s promotional activity in Germany, it is only one element in an extensive programme of initiatives planned to enhance Qatar’s profile in the market.
“Since last year’s ITB, we have set up a representative office providing us with a permanent on-the-ground presence in the German-speaking countries,” he noted. “This has greatly reinforced our day-to-day marketing capabilities and liaison with the travel trade and media.”
“We are now able to engage in a full range of year-round marketing activities, including trade visits and calls, roadshows, workshops, travel agents’ training, familiarisation visits, media relations and a range of cooperative marketing projects with airline partners and other stakeholders,” he added.