From the world’s best hotels and venues to unparalleled hospitality, 'Qatar has everything' to become a leading and favourite wedding destination globally, Qatar Tourism chairman and Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive HE Akbar al-Baker has said.
He was speaking at the 9th Annual Destination Wedding Planners Congress on Wednesday at St Regis Doha. The three-day event, which concludes today, has brought together 500 delegates and industry experts from up to 70 countries under one roof.
HE al-Baker pointed out that whoever gets married in Doha, ties the knot in Doha, will have an experience that is unprecedented.
"We have everything here, the world’s best hotels, museums, beaches, the best venues, and everything that you need to make your wedding the best wedding is available here.
“But most importantly, you have the warmth and acceptance of the people of Qatar, and we don’t treat you as industry leaders in wedding planning, we don’t treat you as a commodity, we treat you as an asset and this is where we give you the maximum value to come and bring your venue to Doha.”
HE al-Baker said Qatar is not competing with other countries as a wedding destination since it has its own plans and assets to promote – hidden treasures that are yet to be discovered.
“We also do not want to be a tourist destination for 25, 30, 40 million people. We are very moderate, we are very humble in the numbers we want. We want this to be a family destination, where families feel comfortable, safe, feel relaxed, and have an influence that is synonymous with the hospitality that we have now,” he stated.
If Qatar successfully hosted the FIFA World Cup 2022, HE al-Baker pointed out that the country can also host the best and most memorable weddings.
He said Qatar Airways has now acquired seaplanes that will take guests to remote resorts: one has been built and a second is set to open in the next three months.
“There are so many things to discover about Qatar so I don’t only want people to come and get married here but keep in repeating honeymoons. With a destination like Qatar, you should keep on having many honeymoons,” HE al-Baker said.
As a tourism destination, he noted that Qatar offers curated and unique experiences: its territorial waters is home to a large number of whale sharks and dugongs for more than three months; turtle hatchings on the beaches: the world’s best resorts that can be reached without any interference; and a country that has nearly 10 months of kite surfing – “an opportunity which doesn’t happen anywhere else”.
HE al-Baker noted that Qatar is also home to one of the best health and wellness resorts in the world – Zulal. The 9th Annual Destination Wedding Planners Congress - a globally renowned platform for wedding planners, connoisseurs, hoteliers, and professionals in the luxury wedding planning industry - is also presenting panel discussions and activities.