Industry

CEO OF QATAR TOURISM: QATAR TO WELCOME SIX MILLION VISITORS A YEAR BY 2030

As Qatar gears up to welcome the FIFA World Cup 2022, Qatar Tourism has many milestones to achieve, promises to keep and dreams to realize. HN exclusively chatted with Berthold Trenkel, COO of Qatar Tourism, to learn more about the country’s preparations ahead of one of the most high-profile global sports events and to map out the growth under way and opportunities emerging on the country’s hospitality scene.

How is Qatar working toward positioning itself as a regional and a global attraction?

Our goal at Qatar Tourism is to establish the country as a world-leading destination. Qatar is one of the easiest destinations to visit. The country is constantly evolving to ensure visitors have a seamless and unforgettable trip. With a host of new hotels and hotel apartments, activities and attractions, travelers will discover the country’s unique blend of Middle Eastern contemporary luxury and authentic tradition. Currently, there are over 100 hotels and hotel apartments in Qatar’s construction pipeline on top of an existing 184+ properties. The country is also evolving its transport facilities including the metro and taxis that make getting to and around Qatar easy, safe and convenient. What is the role that Qatar Tourism is playing and what are your strategies for the coming years?

Our strategy aims to triple the number of pre-pandemic annual international visitors to over six million a year by 2030. We’re investing in world-class infrastructure to create a dynamic and more diversified economy beyond oil, driving the development of the private sector and fields such as tourism to become an integral component of national GDP. visitqatar.qa/en/about-qatar-tourism

Read the full interview on hospitalitynewsmag.com

5 MINUTES WITH MAYADA MANSOUR BADR

Mayada Mansour Badr is no ordinary woman. As CEO of the Culinary Arts Commission, founder of Pink Camel, a high-end patisserie in Jeddah, and partner of two other restaurants, she is a respected figure in the Saudi culinary scene. We spoke to the accomplished chef to learn more about her experiences and achieving success in KSA.

What can you tell us about your current role as CEO of the Culinary Arts Commission?

My colleagues and I feel privileged to be experiencing firsthand the transformation of the kingdom’s culinary and hospitality sectors. With a number of successful initiatives already under our belt, we are looking forward to continuing to share our diverse culinary offering and renowned hospitality with the world. How do you intend to elevate Saudi Arabia’s culinary scene?

We want the world to discover Saudi Arabia through its diverse culinary offering, shaped by each of our 13 different regions.

TRENDING ON

HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM

Travel recovery begins to take off Almost 70 percent of global consumers plan to travel domestically within the next six months, yet less than 10 percent have booked their trips according to a new survey from consulting firm Oliver Wyman. According to the survey, 76 percent of respondents expect to travel the same or more, post-Covid-19, for leisure. oliverwyman.com

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia among the first to accept IATA Travel Pass The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed the decision of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to accept IATA Travel Passes to confirm pre-departure Covid-19 test results for departing and arriving passengers starting September 30, 2021. This acceptance will be expanded to vaccine certification. iata.org

Newly released B2B application Eighty6 set to revolutionize the food procurement industry in the GCC Eighty6, an industry-leading online procurement tool, has been launched in the UAE with plans to also introduce the app into Saudi Arabia in the next three months.

Eighty6 strives to make ordering and delivery easier and smoother by bridging the gap between restaurants and suppliers, allowing them to connect, communicate and build strategic relationships in one B2B online ecosystem. It also aims to reduce operating costs for both restaurants and suppliers by streamlining the ordering process, bringing greater efficiencies and profitability. eighty6.shop

To achieve our goal, we are focusing on preservation, education and innovation, sharing our unique culinary heritage with the world.

In 2020, you launched the Irth Matbakhna initiative. What are your plans for 2021?

Some of the world’s leading restaurant brands arrived in Saudi in 2021, such as Zuma and ROKA. We recently announced plans to open a Le Cordon Bleu institute in Riyadh, which will see aspiring Saudi chefs realize their culinary ambitions, and our book — Saudi Feast — will soon be released. culinary.moc.gov.sa