Although Four Seasons is due to open its Doha property later this year, The Ritz-Carlton, Doha, remains the latest five-star entry to the Qatari market.

Craig Senior, director of sales and marketing, and Laura Perez, marketing and communications manager, talked to TTN about business and the hotel’s future plans.
“Our main markets are the corporate sector and government business, and that hasn’t changed since we opened two-and-a-half years ago. But both those sectors have grown dramatically,” says Senior. “When we’re talking about corporate business, most of it is related to the oil and gas sector, where growth over the past two years has been phenomenal.
“We also attract a great deal of business from the government – from the Emiri Diwan, the Foreign Ministry, other ministries and then of course the Qatar National Olympic Committee and the Doha Asian Games Organising committee (DAGOC). The percentage of arrivals in the country has grown substantially, so our business has grown too.”
However, the hotel has also focused on facilities for Qatari nationals and residents. “We relaunched our Spa, with an emphasis on membership for local residents, and our outlets also started to introduce theme-nights, weekly promotions and ‘special occasion’ functions – all meeting the expectations and needs of the community as well as our guests.”
Perez also highlighted the regular Ladies Afternoon Teas, with speakers, exhibitions and demonstrations; the monthly cookery classes (with separate groups for adults and children); and the classes in flower arrangement. “We have also run a series of advertising campaigns to promote our huge marina and its facilities, as well as the hugely-popular ‘Admiral’s Club’ with its much-sought-after membership,” she added.