This year’s Cityscape Qatar will also see the introduction of dq (design quarter) for the first time. dq is a dedicated exhibition area for regional and international architecture and interior design firms to put a spotlight on their projects and innovations.
"The easing of pandemic-related restrictions, the rollout of booster shots, changes in property regulations and the 2022 FIFA World Cup have all brought an optimistic outlook for Qatar’s real estate industry," the organisers said in a statement. "Over recent years, the Gulf has experienced a relatively sluggish residential, hospitality and commercial real estate market. In Qatar, experts are now seeing shoots of recovery with the attraction of regional developers, the announcement of three museums in Doha from world-leading architects, and international investors keen on opportunities in the country’s real estate market."
Chris Speller, group director of Cityscape, co-organised by Informa Markets and Elan Events, said: “The outlook for Qatar’s real estate market this year is highly promising. With the IMF predicting that the country’s GDP growth is expected to accelerate to 3.2% this year, economic recovery looks healthy.
“Aligned with its National Vision 2030, Qatar is shifting its focus towards economic diversification and paving the way for real estate to be one of the main drivers. With the new Foreign Investment Law, the swift and decisive handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the country playing host to the biggest sporting event in the world, Qatar is quickly becoming an attractive investment opportunity in the Gulf.”
“For Cityscape Qatar’s 10th edition this year, we’re looking to not only offer visitors and exhibitors the opportunity to see leading projects being launched onto the market but also providing a platform to discuss, inform and debate some of the industry’s most pressing concerns through the Cityscape Intelligence Talks being held on the show floor."
With an annual per capita income of just under $100,000 in 2020, according to the IMF, Qatar’s real estate market is gradually accounting for a growing proportion of the country’s GDP, the statement notes. Cityscape Qatar is preparing to showcase innovative and exciting projects from the GCC and beyond.
Exhibitor Cem Kapancioglu, founding director of Architecture Interiors, said: “Our expectations coming into Cityscape Qatar focus on building connections and networking rather than sales.
“We want to understand the market and expand our knowledge, and always feel we achieve that at the event. The demand for our services comes from events like Cityscape, so we rely on these events to showcase our work and previous projects.”
The event will run concurrently with a three-day real estate conference, the now well-established Cityscape Talks series, aligned with the four pillars of Qatar National Vision 2030.
Titled ‘Sustainable, Resilient, Affordable and Liveable’, it will feature speakers from both government entities and key real estate leaders, with each demonstrating how these pillars are gaining prominence and changing the future of real estate in Qatar.
The conference agenda will cover topics, such as ‘Big Opportunities for Qatar Real Estate: A Macroeconomic Perspective’, ‘The Future of Architecture in Qatar’, and ‘ESG – A Gamechanger for the GCC Real Estate Sector’.
For more information, one can visit www.cityscapeqatar.com.