Qatar Travel Mart hosts over 60 countries

Qatar Travel Mart (QTM) 2023, which concludes in Doha on Wednesday, has welcomed participants from over 60 countries, alongside 100 hosted buyers and more than 9,000 visitors.

 

Held under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Qatar Tourism is the strategic partner of the QTM 2023, which opened on November 20. 

 

Taking place at the expansive halls of the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC), under the theme 'Exploring Places, Peoples, and Cultures,’ this year’s edition showcases to global tourism stakeholders the latest trends in the industry and the future of travel. 

 

QTM enables participants to forge new connections, tap into emerging opportunities and reconnect with established relationships in the travel and tourism sector. 

 

The second edition of the exhibition has attracted more than 40 thought leaders, experts, and influential stakeholders, who will each have offered insights into the latest trends and innovations within the industry. 

 

The event this year also saw the debut of Qatar’s first Global Village, which connects different regions under one roof – showcasing heritage, philosophies, and more. 

 

As the exhibition’s strategic partner, Qatar Tourism hosts a joint 175 sq m booth with Discover Qatar that showcase the destination’s unique visitor experience and solidify Qatar's position as a premier destination. Through its participation, Qatar Tourism highlight its commitment to excellence, sustainability in the travel industry, as well as its ability to continually host world-renowned events. 

 

Saad Bin Ali Al Kharji, Chairman of Qatar Tourism, said: “Qatar continues to offer unparalleled opportunity for exploration by global travellers and we look forward to showcasing the latest advancements made by our tourism industry over the next three days while collaborating with our valued partners to ensure the continued success and growth of our sector. In particular, visitors from the region will find eased travel policies and new attractions that position Qatar as an appealing destination for a family-friendly holiday."

 

Visit Saudi is the key sponsor for QTM’s second edition. With its shared cultural values, proximity and an array of premier assets and unique leisure and hospitality offerings, Qatar continues to be a highly popular tourist destination for GCC visitors, especially from Saudi Arabia. Visitors from Saudi Arabia remain the top source market for international visitors to Qatar this year, contributing to nearly a quarter of all arrivals. 

 

Commenting on their participation, Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and a Member of the Board, Saudi Tourism Authority, said: “Saudi is the world’s fastest-growing tourism destination and was recently named by the World Tourism Organisation as the most visited country by tourists in the Arab world in 2022 – and Saudi’s Red Sea Project has just been hailed one of Conde Nast Traveller’s ‘24 Best Places to Go in 2024’. This partnership will help to inspire more visitors from the region to enjoy Saudi’s diverse landscapes and packed cultural and sporting events calendar.

 

“Winter Season festivities have kicked off across our many cities with more than 11,000 events in the coming months. “It’s also never been easier to visit Saudi thanks to initiatives including the eVisa program, the Stopover Visa and the Nusuk platform which now seamlessly issues Umrah eVisas – and the unified GCC visa that is set to launch in the coming years.”

 

With state-of-the-art facilities, seamless public transportation networks, open tourism visa policies and a strategic central location, Qatar is quickly emerging as a prime destination for major global events and holds a strong track record of doing so. 

 

In October, Qatar inaugurated the first international debut of the renowned Geneva international Motor Show, which saw 1,000 journalists and more than 180,000 visitors over 10 days.

 

Looking ahead, Qatar will host several, major international events including the MotoGP – Grand Prix of Qatar, AFC Asian Cup Qatar (January 12 – February 10, 2024) and the world’s biggest technology conference, Web Summit Qatar (February 26 – 29, 2024).  –TradeArabia News Service