QATAR Tourism Authority (QTA) continued its promotional campaign in Asia with its participation in the third edition of ITB Asia.
A delegation from QTA met with travel trade professionals in an Asian roadshow over the two weeks prior to the Singapore show promoting the country’s Mice offering in Seoul, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur as well as the 48 Hours campaign, aimed at convincing business travellers to extend their stay by two days to see the country.
“Asia is an important market for Qatar tourism,” said Ahmed Al Nuaimi, chairman of Qatar Tourism Authority. “Not only do our countries have strong business partnerships and mutual investment interests, we have learned during our roadshow that many outbound travellers and associations from Asia are looking to discover a new destination that can offer rich cultural experience and unique attractions. The expansion of Qatar Airways’ routes to Asia helps to facilitate travel to Qatar from many major cities in Asia. Our participation in ITB Asia has provided us with the opportunity to meet with some of Asia’s most important industry leaders and leading Mice organisations to inspire them about Qatar.”
QTA was the exclusive sponsor of the ITB Asia 2010 buyers’ lounge and on the opening day of the exhibition, the Qatar stand was visited by an important delegation of VIPs including S Iswaran, Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore, Hisham Zaazau, First Assistant Minister, Ministry of Tourism in Egypt and Raimund Hosch, CEO of Messe Berlin (Singapore).
Qatar will host next year’s Asian Cup 2011 and the event’s committee sponsored an exciting reception event on the Qatar stand, promoting the widely anticipated championship tournament with live traditional music, Arabic coffee and traditional Qatari hospitality.
At ITB Asia, QTA was accompanied by a delegation representing the high-quality standards Qatar has achieved to become a premier business travel destination including the Museum of Islamic Art, the Asian Cup Committee, Grand Hyatt Doha, Sharq Village and Spa, Ritz Carlton Hotel, Doha Marriott Hotel, Mövenpick Tower and Suites, Retaj Al Rayyan Hotel and several major travel tours operators.
Al Nuaimi said: “The exhibition and roadshow has been very successful for us. Asia is a very strong market and we had to come here and explore it and encourage people to explore Qatar.
“The numbers coming from Asia to Qatar have increased with the expasion of Qatar Airways’ routes and we aim to increase the number of Mice visitors. We are not looking for mass tourism but rather to encourage those who are coming for business to stay an extra 48 hours and experience Qatar for leisure too.”
Qatar’s new national exhibition centre is scheduled to host the World Petroleum Congress in mid-2011 with full completion due in 2012 and the Doha Convention Centre will be finished the following year so the country is gearing up to launch the two venues.
Qatar currently has 9,000 hotel rooms and this is set to increase in the coming months to 15,000 with new openings and Al Nuaimi said substantial events will be needed to utilise the additional space.
As well as the petroleum congress and the Asian Cup, Qatar will host the Pan Arab games and a large-scale eco congress in 2011 and the World Postal Congress in 2012 which will bring in thousands of delegates over a three-week period.
“We are also bidding for other substantial events and these are the people we want to convince to stay that extra 48 hours in Qatar,” said Al Nuami.