Slated in November at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC) under the theme ‘Discover People, Place and Culture’, QTM 2020 will bring in key government and public sector authorities, domestic and foreign tourism entities, and travel and tourism professionals, providing a platform for mutual relations to enhance tourism resources and cultures.
Under the patronage of HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, the inaugural edition of QTM will strengthen Qatar’s travel and tourism sector, and will reinforce business and investment opportunities in tourism products and services, according to a statement.
Having recognised tourism as one of the priority sectors fundamental to expanding Qatar’s economy and increasing private sector investment, the Qatar government has come up with various measure to boost tourism, including visa-free entry for citizens of more 80 countries free of charge, the statement said.
As per an announcement by the World Tourism Organisation, “Qatar has now become the most open country in the Middle East and the eighth most open in the world,” in terms of visa facilitation.
Qatar is also one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations among the major cities worldwide with massive growth expected in the next few years. As per the Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030, Qatar is targeting 5.6mn international tourist arrivals by 2023.
Investment in the tourism sector is expected to reach $4bn by 2028, with the share of the tourism sector in GDP to reach $36.57bn. The tourism and hospitality sector is also expected to grow, keeping with the FIFA guidelines to have 60,000 hotel rooms by 2022.
Abdel Aziz al-Kaabi, vice president, Nextfairs, said: “We are proud to hold this exhibition under the patronage of the Prime Minister and Interior Minister, and that reiterates the government support to the tourism sector as one of the pillars of Qatar National Vision 2030 to diversify the economy. Qatar Travel Mart 2020 will boost Qatar’s position on the international tourism map and make a major tourist destination in the region.”
For businesses in the travel industry, as well as their customers, technology plays a vital role. QTM 2020 will feature the latest in travel and tourism technology and hospitality automation, with global travel industry experts showcasing innovative and up-to-date technology to the discerning customer. QTM 2020 will be introducing new technology providers into the budding travel and tourism industry in Qatar, the statement said.
Another highlight of QTM 2020 is the ‘Hosted Buyer Programme’, where professional buyers and purchasers, which include top level, senior executives, and decision makers from a variety of companies and industries, will attend the exhibition.
The programme gives exhibitors and attendees the opportunity to meet international purchasers from Asia, Europe, Russia, Far East, and Latin America face-to-face in a highly-effective environment designed to save time and money, enabling new business and signing of new agreements.
In addition to the exhibition, QTM 2020 will feature a conference that will enable industry professionals to stay abreast of the latest news and updates from various tourism sector. The exhibition will also embrace the ‘Global Village’ that acts as a hub to connect different parts of the world under one roof showcasing heritage and philosophies of different countries.