Hospitality Qatar Wraps Up 6th Edition

Hospitality Qatar

The 6th edition of Hospitality Qatar concluded on Thursday evening with the participation of 31 countries, 170 exhibitors and witnessed by more than 11,000 visitors.

Held from November 8 to 11, 2021 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center, the event convened suppliers, investors, policymakers, and professionals from the travel and hospitality sector to explore new markets and investments opportunities, exchange insights, and discuss recent advancements in the industry.

Hospitality Qatar 2021 mirrored the success of its previous editions in playing a major role in boosting Qatar's initiatives to diversify the economy with the tourism and hospitality sector as one of the key drivers of market growth and advancements. FIFA World Cup 2022 is expected to bring 1.5 million visitors to the country, which increases the demands in the tourism and hospitality sector. Hospitality Qatar seeks to support the industry's initiatives and preparations ahead of the World Cup.

The event provided a platform for industry professionals and key players to market their products and services through exhibits, insightful conferences, a B2B matchmaking program, and training. In addition, it showcased talents and skills through specialized HORECA competitions and live culinary shows.

The event coincides with the Qatar Tourism promotional campaign, which was launched recently and is considered the largest in the history of the tourism sector in the State of Qatar, to support the goals of the country's tourism sector and its quest to attract more than 6 million visitors annually by 2030.

In statements to Qatar News Agency (QNA), several exhibitors praised the great success achieved by the 2021 edition of Hospitality Qatar in terms of exhibits, the wide participation from Qatar and abroad, and the remarkable turnout, which confirms the importance and growth of the hospitality and tourism sector in Qatar.

They explained that the exhibition briefed them on the great development witnessed by this sector in the State of Qatar. It also highlighted the advantages and experiences of their countries, they added.

"As an event that highlights the developments in the hospitality sector of Qatar, Hospitality Qatar is an enterprising platform for our businesses and the ones here to explore opportunities, connect and collaborate. 12 companies participated in this year's edition of Hospitality Qatar. Turkey's relationship with Qatar has always been commendable, and this event further strengthened our commercial and economic relationship and enhanced our hospitality sector," said HE Dr. Mustafa Goksu, Turkish Ambassador in Doha.

On his part, Haidar Msheimesh, General Manager of IFP Qatar said: "We are pleased of the positive feedback and results of this four-day trade show. Amid the global challenges, the success of the 6th edition will resonate and help further stimulate economic activities in the following months. The exchange of knowledge and perspectives from industry key players yielded remarkable results that could add light to upcoming innovations and developments in the market. With this, we congratulate everyone who participated in the event and we look forward to seeing the industry reflects the outcome of Hospitality Qatar 2021."

"We have been participating in Hospitality Qatar since the 1st edition. IFP has given us great support throughout the years and through HQ 2021, it facilitated the expansion of our business network and exposure to multiple channels. During those 4 days, we have met top consultants and suppliers, hence this exhibition is one of the few hospitality platforms in the Gulf region that gives us the opportunity to benefit from the local international network," added Mahesh Joshi, Chief Financial Officer, Al Sraiya Hotels & Hospitality Group.

The third day of the conference themed Delivering a Memorable Customer Experience', featured a discussion led by Linda Moir, former Head of Virgin Atlantic Customer Service, and London Olympic 2012 Head of Events Services. She shed light on ways to create the wow' factor in hospitality customer service and how to deliver a memorable vacation experience to visitors.

In partnership with Talabat, an award ceremony was also held on the third day to honor the best restaurants in Qatar. Dubbed as Best Restaurant Choice Awards', the initiative commended restaurants within different categories.

Meanwhile, the last day of the conference was titled "Food Tech Talks" by Talabat. Renowned speakers and experts covered significant industry topics such as FoodTech Hospitality Trends: Interesting Data of Qatar vs. Region to be Aware, AgriTech: Technologies and Innovations in the World of Agriculture, AGRICO Case Study, PackTech: Sustainability Packaging Project, AutoTech: Autonomous Delivery Car Project Made in Qatar, creating a Standout Property: The Secret Sauce to Driving ADR, and Packaging Methods for Processed Foods Commercial and Economic Aspects.

Experts elaborated and explored new ideas that can be implemented in businesses within the food and beverages sector to help them achieve goals and expansion plans. In addition, a session held in partnership with Talabat showcased the latest trends, technologies, and innovations in the industry.

The last day also witnessed a training session on hygiene and safety in food handling. In partnership with Boecker, the training emphasized the role of food business operators as mandated by law in ensuring that their staff is equipped with appropriate training on hygiene and food safety.

Hospitality Qatar 2021 delivered a successful and diverse range of activities, linked potential markets, and explored more developments in the hospitality, HORECA, and tourism sectors.

SOURCE: QNA