QATAR Tourism Authority (QTA) and its partners return to the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) next week with the largest delegation to represent the country at the renowned travel industry event. The delegation comprises of 38 hotels, tour operators and other industry service providers; a 26% increase in Qatar's participants compared to last year. As the Middle East's leading platform for travel and tourism industry members, ATM presents the ideal opportunity for Qatar to highlight the latest developments in its tourism industry, and showcase its newest tourism and hospitality offerings. Visitors to Qatar's stand will be invited to sample Qatar's heritage through experiential activities in addition to learning about the country's top quality luxury accommodation, cultural attractions, family entertainment, festivals and events, as well as great shopping, dining and leisure options. In addition, QTA and Qatar Airways will announce a new initiative that is designed to attract more stopover passengers and facilitate their stay. "2016 was an important year for policy developments in Qatar, particularly visa facilitation, and we are keen to share the fantastic opportunities created by streamlined access to our destination with visitors and trade partners at this highly-attended event," commented Hassan Al Ibrahim, Chief Tourism Development Officer at QTA. "We are delighted to have a large cohort of partners from the private sector with us to showcase Qatar's increasingly diverse tourism offering." QTA officials will also be participating in high-level forums, including the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and ATM Ministerial Forum on tourism's contribution to sustainable and inclusive economic growth and diversification in the MENA region. "As we prepare to host the official celebration of the UNWTO World Tourism Day under the theme "Sustainable Tourism — A Tool for Development", it is particularly important to begin this discussion with our partners," added Al Ibrahim. "Through a series of World Tourism Day events that will be held in Doha in September, we will be exploring with our partners across the region how plans for tourism in our countries can be rooted in sustainability, to ensure they meet the needs of our society today, tomorrow, and for generations to come." Long-recognized by the country's leadership as an avenue to further Qatar's development, tourism has been designated a priority sector by the government. Qatar Tourism Authority's mission is to firmly establish Qatar on the global map as a world-class tourism destination with deep cultural roots. In 2014, QTA launched the Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy (QNTSS), which seeks to diversify the country's tourism offering and increase the sector's contribution to Qatar's economy by 2030. QTA works in partnership with public and private stakeholders to achieve this mission by planning, regulating and promoting a sustainable and diverse tourism industry. As part of its planning efforts, QTA identifies types of tourism products and services that will contribute to the Qatar tourism experience, and works to attract investment for their development. Regulation efforts involve ensuring tourism sector establishments operate at the highest standards while perpetuating Qatar's culture. QTA promotes Qatar as a destination around the world, through its destination branding, international representation and participation at trade shows, and by developing a rich calendar of festivals and events. With a growing international presence, QTA's representative offices in London, Paris, Berlin, Milan, Singapore, Riyadh, Istanbul and New York support QTA's promotion efforts. Since launching QNTSS, Qatar has welcomed over 9 million visitors, and achieved an average annual growth in arrivals of 11.5% between 2010-2015. The economic impact of the tourism sector in Qatar is becoming increasingly visible with 2015 estimates showing a total impact on Qatar's total GDP of 4.4%. Arabian Travel Market is being held this year from April 24-27, bringing together over 2,800 products and destinations from around the world to more than 26,000 buyers and travel trade visitors. ATM is one of six annual, business to business events held across four continents as part of the World Travel Market events. Now in its 24th year, it generates more than $2.5 billion worth of travel industry deals and attracts nearly 40,000 travel professionals, government ministers and international press. The following partners will be represented on the Qatar stand:Grand Hyatt; Mandarin Oriental; Sheraton Resort & Convention Centre; Oryx Rotana; Hilton Double Tree; Zubarah Hotel; The Torch; Ezdan Hotel; Intercontinental The Beach; Mondrian Hotel; Intercontinental The City; Crown Plaza; Holiday Villa Hotel & Residency City Centre Doha; Warwick Doha Hotel; Plaza Inn Doha;Qatar National Convention Centre; Movenpick West Bay; Qatar Ventures; La Cigale Hotel; Sky Group; Marriott Marquis City Centre Hotel Doha; Middle East Adventure Amari Doha; Qatar International Adventures; Doha Marriott; Unique Choice; Retaj Al Rayyan; FAL Travel; Century Hotel; Gulf Adventure; The St Regis Doha; Travel Designer WLL; Four Seasons; Arabian Adventures; Concord Hotel; Arab Destination; Regency Holidays and Kempinski Marsa Malaz.
