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bq | INDUSTRIES I EVENTS
QATAR
EVENT-UALLY
GETT I N G THE RE
The growing industry of event management has seen many companies enter the fray in order to capitalize on the direction Qatar has taken to slowly move away from a purely hydrocarbon revenue By Ferras Mohssen, Doha Aspirations for Qatar to become one of the most sought after MICE destinations in the Middle East are high. With a large number of tourists entering the country, and active efforts by the QTA, the sector looks rather promising. bq speaks to some events companies in Doha in order to look at different areas that are considered important to both the company and the country in general, seeing the government views the meetings, conferences, and exhibitions sector as one of Qatar’s strengths. The MICE industry is rapidly growing in the GCC and is a key driver of the GCC governments’ economic development strategy. Dubai is currently recognized as the market leader of the MICE industry in the Middle East, while also dominating the USD 1.3 bn market with a leading market share, according to a Frost and Sullivan report Insights Middle East. “By 2020, Dubai is set to attract 16.5 million to 18 million leisure visitors and 3 mn to 4 mn business visitors. Of this figure, MICE visitors that currently equate to 0.9 mn, are estimated to double to between 1.7 mn and 1.9 mn; the remaining will be independent business travelers,” states the report. The Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA) of Abu Dhabi reveals that the MICE sector is generating AED 2.4 bn for Abu Dhabi per annum and is expected to reach AED 5.1 bn by 2020. Qatar is not far behind with the recent revelation of the QTA’s tourism strategy. Qatar’s short term strategy includes attracting business tourists through corporate conferences and events, and gradually pushing for leisure tourism over the next few years, with a large number of hospitality and retail ventures mushrooming. A brief glimpse at the MICE volumes in Qatar can be had from QNCC (Qatar National Convention Centre) statistics that reveal the venue has hosted over 300 events and seen above 175,000 delegates and visitors ever since its opening in December 2011. Most companies in the country are focused on corporate events and launches while some work on opening and closing ceremonies, and others would rather concentrate on events like weddings. Market share is always a strong indicator for a company about how well they are doing. Elegant Events, a medium-sized events company focusing primarily on weddings, is a company that does most of its events in Qatar, and say their market share is around 10-15 percent, which is quite decent by all standards. Focus profile The areas event companies focus on when planning an event can differ from one company to the next and they can range from catering to security. Elegant Events takes care of most of the aspects in-house except for catering and security; Avantgarde, a bigger event organizer focusing on Qatar and other parts of the GCC, www.bqdoha.com
also outsources catering and security along with equipment and printing services. The company was first founded in Munich in 1985 and opened its Qatar office in 2011. They mostly handle corporate and branding events. Vogue, a mainly Qatar-focused events company concentrating largely on luxury car and product launches handles logistics, collateral design, and PR while outsourcing everything else. Jumpzone Productions, one of the larger events companies, which opened its offices in 2003 in Qatar, and focuses on opening and closing ceremonies, mainly offers turnkey solutions. One size does not fit all When organizing an event, each company has its own way of going about it, based on what they feel is the best approach. Avantgarde says, “We strongly believe the event starts with the briefing. Therefore, we work quite closely with our clients at the beginning of each project. There is no particular formula, because every project is different in its kind. Furthermore, we use tools we have developed over the last 20 years.” Vogue on the other hand, has a more structured approach to organizing an event. It begins by assigning an account manager who coordinates with his/her teammates and that individual will contact suppliers and the talent required. Jumpzone takes a creative angle to their approach. “Once we work out what is required to realize the concept, we then budget it, sell it and begin work on making it a reality.”