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Ailyn Agonia
Doha
ATTRACTING more and more international tourists to the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar will be one of the major priorities of the hospitality sector as they take on the important role ahead of the much-awaited mega global sporting event.
The strategy of many prime hotels in the country includes proactively promoting Qatar as a primary tourist destination and tapping newer markets.
In a recent interview, The Westin Doha Hotel & Spa General Manager Gianrico Esposito told Qatar Tribune:"The opportunity that we see is to move beyond the actual sources that we are getting business from currently moving onto new markets, expanding to new countries that do not know Qatar as a primary destination and creating curiosity and willingness to get to know more about the country. That way, we will get the attention of international media and its support to promote the country and its state-of-the-art facilities and development."
"We are also supporting Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) initiatives in its new representation offices for instance in Russia or China; in Europe and also with the tour operators that they are engaging and we are part of the hospitality offers that they are providing for the country. We send our sales team to roadshows, workshops and exhibitions that are either organised by QTA or international tourism organisations," Esposito added.
Reiterating the critical role of the hospitality sector in making the FIFA World Cup in Qatar a refreshing and memorable experience for both local and international guests, Esposito said the quality of hotel service will boost the country's reputation and will be part of a comprehensive image of successfully delivering the big event along with the quality of sports facilities and infrastructure.
"Hosting FIFA World Cup 2022 is a great achievement as it is an international event and something exceptional. As for Qatar, this will bring a lot of visibility to the country and the region. This will be an opportunity to showcase the cultural aspect, the modernity along with the traditional culture; not only to the visitors that will come to see the matches but also to the media that will have a huge coverage during the event," Esposito further said.
"The hospitality sector will benefit from the event for sure. Countries hosting the World Cup and mega sporting events like Olympic Games have always seen a starting point to build or refresh the reputation of the host city or country and this will certainly boost the tourism sector and place it on the international map."
Esposito added that Westin Doha Hotel and Spa, being a relatively new hotel, is already well-prepared for 2022 except for some additions in their food and beverage and enlarging their offerings to the visitors.
Four Seasons Hotel Doha management, on the other hand, hailed the efforts of Qatar's government in attracting a more diverse tourists profile to the country with the open visa programme to some nationalities implemented since last year which, according to them, had helped in boosting the number of their hotel visitors.
The hotel's General Manager Jeff Rednour also underlined the vibrant and various other options in the country's food and beverage scene including the presence of celebrity chefs in local hotels as among the major attractions for international community to take part in the excitement of FIFA World Cup in Doha.
For Holiday Villa Hotel and Residence City Centre Doha General Manager Joey Chen, the increasing number of hotels across the country and emergence of high-quality food and beverage outlets will help pique the curiosity of international tourists on what Qatar can offer on the sidelines of the games.
"Welcoming the millions of fans, the hospitality sector is one of the vital elements that will make the Qatar 2022 a huge success. The increasing number of hotel keys and the emergence of distinct and high quality food and beverage outlets guarantee that the huge influx of visiting crowd's accommodation and dining requirements are well taken care of. In addition, the strict compliance of hospitality entities with the standards classified by QTA and safety and security policies regulated by the government ensure that travellers will be encouraged to come and each visiting individual will have a remarkable stay in the country," Chen said.
Mondrian Doha General Manager Axel Gasser added that they have already initiated their plans on how to properly manage the influx of tourists and fans who will be booking with them to experience both the city and the celebrated hospitality of Mondrian Doha.
