Second edition of Qatar shopping fest kicks off

*Shop Qatar 2018, dubbed as “the country’s biggest shopping festival”, will run until February 7

HE the Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani on Sunday launched the second edition of Shop Qatar, the country’s official shopping festival, in a dazzling event at AlHazm.

The opening ceremony, which included a series of cultural performances and entertainment shows, was attended by several VIPs - including foreign diplomats, government officials and private sector leaders.The event coincided with a series of shows in malls around the country, marking the beginning of the month-long festival organised by Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) in celebration of the country’s diverse retail offerings, against a backdrop of colourful cultural activities.Shop Qatar 2018, held under the theme “A Brand New Tradition” and dubbed as “the country’s biggest shopping festival”, will run until February 7 - offering residents and visitors discounts on popular brands, car and cash prizes worth up to QR4mn and a rich schedule of fashion and entertainment events.“Shop Qatar reflects the pioneering role Qatar enjoys as a leading tourist destination in the region. We are currently working on implementing the national tourism strategy in order to present lucrative products in Qatar,” HE the Minister said. He noted that the number of visitors coming to Qatar has gone up, and also referred to the substantial rise in the number of cruise ships arriving at Doha Port.QTA acting chairman Hassan al-Ibrahim said the inaugural edition of Shop Qatar was held last year under the directives of HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and “witnessed great success thanks to the wise leadership’s support and the collaborative efforts of public and private sector partners”. The first edition of Shop Qatar, held in 2017, contributed an estimated QR1.06bn to the local economy, QTA said in a statement."We are very pleased to be launching the second edition of Shop Qatar in the presence of our esteemed guests. It is truly a reflection of the government’s support for the tourism sector as an important element in Qatar’s sustainable development in pursuit of Qatar National Vision 2030," he noted. “With the launch of the next chapter of the National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030 late last year, Qatar’s tourism sector embarked on a new phase in its development."

Rashed al-Qurese, QTA's chief marketing and promotion officerA traditional Qatari cultural presentationArtistes during a showAl-Ibrahim said the strategy identifies key goals and the mechanisms and initiatives that will serve to enhance the visitor experience while providing investment opportunities for local and foreign investors.He stressed that the festival sheds a spotlight on the “new and enticing additions to Qatar’s burgeoning retail scene”, with 13 malls participating covering nearly 1,000,000sq m of retail space.Retail outlets around Qatar will be providing special offers and discounts of up to 50% on a range of consumer goods, including clothes, electronics, cosmetics and accessories for men, women and children.Participating malls are, AlKhor Mall, City Center Mall, Doha Festival City, Gulf Mall, Hyatt Plaza, Lagoona Mall, Landmark Mall, Mall of Qatar, Tawar Mall, The Gate Mall, Villaggio, Ezdan Mall and Dar Al Salam Mall.Shop Qatar 2018 will celebrate cultures from around the world with themes such as Arabian Week, Bollywood Week and International Week, encouraging mall-goers to continue to discover something new every week throughout the festival. Each week will feature themed musical events organised by members of the local private sector.“Shop Qatar is the country’s largest shopping festival, and one of the largest and fastest growing in the region,” QTAtarget="_blank"'>