Qatar Tourism Authority attracts significant interest in Asia
QTA successfully showcases Qatar to the Asian travel market at ITB Asia in Singapore
Suntec City, SINGAPORE (25 October 2009) – Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) drew significant interest within the Asian travel market through its exhibit at ITB Asia 2009 in Singapore, the largest annual Asian travel trade show. Marking its second year of participation in the event, which ran at Suntec City from October 21 to 23, QTA promoted its new branding and logo for the first time in Asia. Soha Moussa, Head of Promotion and Exhibitions abroad for QTA described their participation in ITB Asia as very successful, saying, “ITB Asia is a great window to the Asian travel market. QTA’s presence here in Singapore has attracted top level MICE and incentives buyers as well as high-end tour operators. The Asian-Pacific market is looking for new, well-organized, safe and welcoming destinations for its business tourism. Qatar offers a high quality destination with new state of the art facilities, blended with our unique warm Qatari traditions.”
At the event, QTA engaged with a number of noteworthy buyers from the region’s MICE and leisure sectors, including conference organizers, incentive planners, travel operators, and boards of tourism authorities from Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia and Australia.
“When we arrange tours, we don’t want our travelers to be lost and confused. We always try to find for them something unique in the place we choose. Qatar is a new, high quality destination, offering tradition interconnected with the modern world. And it’s not too commercial as other countries have become,” said a representative of EGL Tours from China. A representative from Helms Briscoe Event Company in Korea added, “Qatar is a very attractive destination for our travelers. The combination of desert and sea makes it unique.” A buyer from JGL Motivation Incentive Company in Japan commented “Qatar will be sure one of the next target destinations for the Japanese business travel market”.
This heightened interest in Qatar within the Asian travel market comes as no surprise- already known as a progressive business hub, Qatar is well-positioned to take advantage of the MICE sector, offering state-of-the-art venues with a harmonious blend of upscale leisure and cultural attractions. The country’s unique mix of rich Arabian culture and modern luxury and innovation make it a prime travel and business destination. Commenting on the unique promise of Qatar, Louise Cutajar, Head of Events of Museum of Islamic Art said, “Qatar is becoming an appealing and well known destination for the Asian market. The cultural similarities with many countries of the Asia Pacific are attracting a lot of people to visit the Museum and to explore the collection of Islamic art. It’s nice to see the interest of the people towards the cultural events that Doha has to offer and to meet education groups asking for organizing exchanges and programs as well as requests to host corporate events and exhibitions at the Museum of Islamic Art”.
Qatar Tourism Authority is showcasing this exceptional character of Qatar with the cooperation of representatives from the country’s upscale leisure and hospitality sectors, such as the W-Hotel and Millenium Hotel Doha and the Museum of Islamic Art. Asia is an increasingly important market for Qatar.
“ITB Asia is different from other exhibitions. Asian Mice and Corporate Travelers have come to the QTA’s stand to discuss new businesses in a serious and focused way. They inquire about facilities, accommodations, lifestyle and they discover Qatar has an identity to offer” commented Tareq Abdullatif Taha, Regency Travel and Tours’s CEO.
ITB Asia is the premier B2B trade show and convention for the travel industry for establishing new customer contacts and conducting business through networking opportunities, guaranteeing high-quality customer contacts with top buyers from the MICE, leisure and corporate travel markets in Asia Pacific.
