Eye on the goal

Qatar Tourism Authority’s (QTA’s) ambitious plans to increase tourist numbers from the current level of 2.83 million to around the 7 to 9 million mark within the next 15 years is stimulating a major boom in hotel and infrastructure construction.

2030 vision

According to the QTA’s Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030, a total of some $40 to $45 billion needs to be spent on hotel and resort development, products by 2030.

QTA’s chief marketing and promotions officer, Rashed AlQurese, explained the significance of the scale of this investment. “This commitment clearly underlines the importance government attaches to tourism as a key priority sector in the diversification and sustainable development of the national economy. This will drive the hospitality industry potential to inspire and promote sustainable social impact and cultural benefits,” he said.

The hotel building boom has been given added impetus by the need to cater for the accommodation needs for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Increased visitor arrivals are expected during the course of 2022 as many sporting fans attend the global football showpiece.
 
Focus on luxury

Current capacity stands at around 19,000 rooms, some 70 per cent of which are in the four- and five-star category. A significant proportion of new hotel rooms will be at the top end of the market, in line with QTA’s strategy to position the country as a luxury destination. However, the plan also calls for a diversification of the current accommodation profile to increase the number of budget hotels. Likewise, Qatar’s existing portfolio of hotel apartments and boutique properties will be expanded.

Doha already boasts an impressive representation from the world’s leading hotel groups as well as a growing number of quality home-grown brands. By 2030 most of the major international brands will have a presence in the market.

Progress for hotel construction targets is on schedule. Room supply will more than double with an estimated number of new hotels and hotel apartments planned to come on stream in the next five years. In 2015 alone, the expected opening of around 20 new properties will add nearly 4,000 rooms to Qatar’s accommodation inventory.  

The Waldorf Astoria, Mandarin Oriental and M Gallery will open in 2016, while Le Meridien and JW Marriott are among the properties scheduled for 2017.

Development

On a cultural note, one of the most exciting new developments is the impressive National Museum of Qatar currently being built in Doha. Its ground-breaking ‘petal’ design, intended to resemble a giant desert rose, is the brainchild of celebrated French architect Jean Nouvel. The museum will focus on exhibits that highlight Qatar’s heritage, and will also feature a 2,200-seat auditorium and a park of indigenous plants.

On the business tourism side, the opening of the new Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre in 2015 will complement the existing facilities of the Qatar National Convention Centre, and boost Doha’s meetings infrastructure by some 90,000 square metres of event space, including 29,000 square metres of exhibition halls.

One of the biggest developments is the arrival of the Doha Metro, which will make getting around the capital a quick and convenient procedure. With four lines extending across more than 300 kilometres of track – and incorporating no less than 98 different stations – it’s a major undertaking that stands to revolutionise the city’s public transport. The first phase is currently scheduled to be up and running by 2019, with completion of the whole network earmarked for 2026.

Qatar’s overall transport infrastructure is undergoing extensive development in terms of port facilities and road developments. The latter, incorporating 900 kilometres of multi-lane highways, will also have considerable impact on the tourism sector, greatly improving access to all areas of the country and opening up new and unexplored regions to visitors

World Cup 2022

The demands of hosting the World Cup in 2022 combined with the other ambitious development plans of the QNTSS and Qatar National Vision 2030, will mean massive investment in the country’s transportation and construction sectors.

The World Cup opening and closing ceremonies will be staged in a new 86,000 seat stadium being built as part of the Lusail City project, which involves the creation of a new 38 million square metre urban centre of 260,000 residents, just to the north of Doha city.