National Day/ Qatar Tourism Authority: Clear Vision.... Great Achievements

Doha, December 07 (QNA) - Qatar's National Day marks achievements made by Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) on the path of its mission in promoting a tourism sector able to enhance Qatar's role and position in attracting visitors and to become a major destination for family and business. QTA's launch of the Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030 is considered as the major move for a long-term strategy aimed to help push the tourism sector in Qatar forward through a series of plans, programs and specific projects and policies that have been developed in accordance with best practices and on the basis of a national consultative process. This strategy is part of the integrated efforts exerted to ensure the sustainability of Qatar's development by reducing its reliance on natural gas and oil resources, while at the same time putting Qatar on the world tourism map and help to spread the culture, values and traditions of the Qatari people. During the last period QTA has focused its efforts on the promotion of Qatar commercially through leading Qatar's delegation to the largest and most important regional and international trade fairs such as the Asian Expo, the International Tourism Exchange Berlin (ITB), the World Travel Market in London and IMEX exhibition in Frankfurt. QTA has opened a representative office in the French capital Paris for the promotion of Qatar in this key western market to become the second office in Europe after the London office. Last summer QTA opened a representative office in the German capital Berlin for the promotion of Qatar in the German-speaking countries in Europe and now the Authority is in the final stages of the opening of two offices in Riyadh and Jeddah to serve the Gulf region and has also launched Qatar Events website, which has become in a record time, the first source of information on events and activities in Qatar. As part of its efforts to develop a powerful tourism sector, QTA launched last February, the second phase of its agreement signed with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) on the cooperation to develop a coherent and appropriate system locally for monitoring and quality in a wide range of tourist activities. The second phase of the agreement organizes visa procedures, programs of regional development, training and technical support to the tourism offices, in addition to marketing, promotion and tourism management, training programs for the QTA staff in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization. It also deals with means of establishing a tourism statistics to develop mechanisms that give a more accurate and inclusive data on the growth of the sector over the coming years. QTA also launched in the same period, an initiative to encourage and invite stakeholders to tourism in Qatar for the signing of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism within several joint initiatives between the QTA and the World Tourism Organization, in order to promote the tourism sector and make it an active, vital and supportive sector of the national economy. In partnership with Qatar Development Bank, QTA has launched six different tourist investment projects that constitute the focus of this initiative. In the framework of QTA's participation in Qatar National Sport Day , QTA launched the pioneering Desert Caravan Challenge providing participants with an authentic experience and showcasing Qatars rich heritage and cultural sports while shedding light on the famous Al Zubarah Fort. QTA also organized promotional activities on a large scale, such as: the fifth edition of the Qatar International Festival of Food, which has attracted a large number of visitors from the Gulf region, and "Ramadan in Qatar" program in June-July 2014 aimed at creating a unified and harmonious atmosphere across Qatar during the Holy Month of Ramadan. The program aims at highlighting the nation's Arab and Islamic culture and traditions and providing a real authentic experience for visitors to Qatar. The hotels which provided the best real experience for its guests during the month of Ramadan were awarded. Over July - September 2014, QTA organized the Qatar Summer Festival, including several diverse events in Doha, Al Khor and Al Wakra attracting many visitors and enhancing Qatar's image through the festival as a tourist destination for families in the Gulf region. Recently, the QTA launched its semi-annual report attesting the success and remarkable progress made by the tourism sector. All the key indicators for the first six months of 2014 show improvement and growth compare to corresponding period in 2013. Qatar has received more than 1.4 million visitors in the first half of 2014, hotel occupancy rate was up with 74%, and the revenues of 4 and 5 stars hotels have increased reaching about QAR 1.98 billion while the GCC citizens remain the largest number of tourists visiting Qatar. QTA seeks to promote and strengthen the national tourism industry through developing plans and policies, comprehensive systems and mechanisms of coordination with stakeholders, a portfolio of Qatar tourism products and services with a special focus on conferences and exhibitions, business, tourism, cultural tourism cities, marketing and promoting Qatar as a tourist destination. QTA's vision is based on leading the development of tourism in Qatar in a sustainable manner to make Qatar a global tourist hub proud of its cultural roots in order to achieve an economic growth and social development. QTA is committed to sustainable development through innovation and continuous playing a leadership role in the tourism sector through the adoption of the latest studies and research, and the latest technological marketing techniques. (QNA)