Qatar is set to welcome the world’s leading hospitality companies, experts and industry professionals to the upcoming Hospitality Qatar 2018, the international hospitality and HORECA (Hotel/Restaurant/Café) trade show in the country. The fourth edition of the show was launched this week, during a press conference at InterContinental Doha The City.
The event, which will take place from 6 to 8 November at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, is poised to witness another successful edition after three consecutive years. The success of the event is mainly because of the country’s booming hospitality market and pioneering initiatives of the country’s wise leadership, boosting tourism opportunities and developing key destinations in line with the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030.
Bigger and Growing
According to IFP Qatar this year’s edition will witness a 21% increase in the number of exhibitors, compared to last year.
Haidar Mshaimesh, Acting General Manager of IFP Qatar said that Hospitality Qatar 2018 is geared to deliver another major successful gathering of the world’s leading hospitality and HORECA companies and industry stalwarts which will showcase the latest insights, strategies, innovation and ingenuity that are essential in the highly competitive field.
This fourth edition is set to witness an array of exciting shows, competitions and live events demonstrating a lifestyle of excellence which is the mark of Qatari hospitality.’
Forty-one hotel projects and 11,722 rooms are now under construction in Doha. This was coupled with the continuing increase in tourist arrivals in the country.
Hotels in Qatar also reported a rising demand across the first three quarters of 2017 with room occupancy increasing by 4% compared to the same period in 2016. The average length of stay also grew by 10% compares to the same period of the previous year and experts predict that the overall growth of the sector will soar by 10% over the next three years.
Future of Tourism and More
This year, in partnership with Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), the first-ever conference themed ‘Future of Tourism in Qatar’ will be held on the sidelines of Qatar Hospitality 2018. The three-day conference will feature an extensive discussion focused on innovation and new technologies in tourism development, curating and designing new experiences for family visitors, as well as new initiatives in culinary excellence.
Mshaimesh explained that there will be an increasing need for high-quality hospitality and HORECA products and services because of the increasing demand for excellence from discerning visitors. He said that Hospitality Qatar 2018 is designed to meet all these growing requirements in the sector with a full platform that addresses all the hospitality elements under one roof.
Excellence in other key services such as public health safety will also play an important role in the sector. Carla Ghaleb, Country Manager of Boecker Public Safety, the exclusive hygiene sponsor of the event, said that their participation will provide essential services in the field.
Since its foundation, Boecker® Public Health has continuously been at the forefront of environmental health services.
The exhibition will also feature products and services focused on hotel supply and design, franchising and investment, as well as food and beverages. There will also be a dedicated B2B Matchmaking programme that will connect exhibitors and visitors, and help identify potential business opportunities.
Other exciting activities include competitions and live demonstrations by top local and international chefs.
Participation to the event has been growing year-on-year and the upcoming edition expects 188 exhibitors from at least 20 countries. Last year, Hospitality Qatar had a total of 156 exhibitors from 15 countries and over 6,100 visitors.
For updates and more information about Hospitality Qatar 2018, visit hospitalityqatar.qa.
