QTA Targets German-Speaking Market at ITB Berlin

Doha, March 02 (QNA) - Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) will promote Qatar as a unique destination in the German-speaking European market at the ITB Berlin to be held from March 4 to 8. QTA will exhibit a range of Qatar's attractions, services and initiatives, particularly that it regards this specific market a key growth one in its drive to boost international tourist arrivals, the authority said Monday. QTA's delegation for 2015 ITB comprises 22 tourism organizations including 14 hotels and eight Destination Management Companies (DMCs). QTA Chief Marketing and Promotions Officer Rashed Al Qurese said, "We will provide trade visitors with a comprehensive insight into the destination and its attractions. The wide range of hotels and other tourism suppliers taking part means our stand is effectively a 'one-stop shop' for doing business with Qatar's tourism sector." The key objective at ITB will be to introduce Qatar's leisure and recreational facilities to the German, and wider European travel trade, he said. "Leisure travel from most European countries is increasing and exceeding the expansion in business visitors, and we expect this trend to gain momentum," Al Qurese said. We are seeing encouraging growth in tourism. In 2014 Qatar welcomed around 40,000 arrivals from Germany, 6,000 from Austria and nearly 8,000 from Switzerland, he added. Two new Doha hotels, Banana Island Resort by Antanara and the Marza Malaz Kempinski, will be launching their properties on the international market at ITB which are both important additions to Qatar's existing portfolio of luxury hotels, QTA said. Qatar's pavilion at ITB Berlin will feature a promotion for its 'Tawash' on-line destination training programme, where travel agents and other tourism professionals are able to sign up, via on-stand tablets, at www.tawashqatar.com and start the process of becoming accredited experts on Qatar. This programme, which has successfully attracted European travel agents, is designed to build an international team of 'tourism ambassadors' for the destination in their respective home markets, QTA said. (QNA)