Qatar Travel Mart set for launch at DECC in November

Qatar Travel Mart 2021, which will be held at Doha Exhibition & Convention Centre (DECC) from November 16-18, is expected to attract 136 exhibitors from 31 countries showcasing 14 national pavilions.Organised by NeXTfairs for Exhibitions and Conferences, QTM 2021 will bring together key players in the local, regional, and international travel and tourism industry to offer the most sought-after upscale travel destinations, as well as the latest trends in tourism sectors, such as luxury, business, medical, sports, leisure, cultural and halal. The exhibition is held under the patronage of HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani, and in Strategic Partnership with Qatar Tourism. Katara Hospitality is Founding Partner, Qatar Airways is Official Airline, and Discover Qatar and Qatar Airways Holidays are Founding Leisure Partners. In addition, Amadeus is the event’s Technology Partner, Retaj Hotels & Hospitality the Gold Sponsor, and Gulf Adventures the Silver Sponsor. Internationally, QTM has Association Partners, which are The World Association for Hospitality and Tourism Education and Training (AMFORHT), World Leisure Organisation (WLO), and World Tourism Association for Culture & Heritage (WTACH).Rawad Sleem, co-founder and general manager of NeXTfairs for Exhibitions and Conferences, said: “Tourism is a priority sector for Qatar’s economy and QTM 2021 aims to provide a timely boost for the revival of the sector after the pandemic. It’s back to business for tourism in Qatar and our business events industry is key for supporting its renewal. QTM 2021 is being held in one of the most active markets for investment in hospitality, as Qatar gets ready to welcome the world at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.”A line-up of high-profile travel and tourism experts from around the world will be lending their support to share best practices: Nigel Fell, president & CEO of WTACH; Philippe Francois, president of AMFORHT; Dr Cristina Ortega, president and COO of World Leisure Organisation; Daniyal Akhmetov, former Prime Minister of Kazakhstan and governor of the East Kazakhstan Region; Hugo Rivera, Vice Minister of Economic Affairs and International Co-operation of Dominican Republic’s Grupo Puntacana; Cuthbert Ncube, president of the African Tourism Board; Siyabonga Dube, chairperson of South African Tourism Board; Sergey Sukhanov, CEO of JSC Tourism RF Corporation Government of Russia; Florian Senstschmid, CEO of Azerbaijan Tourism Board; Clare Akamanzi, and CEO of Rwanda Tourist Board.The event also features a ‘Hosted Buyers’ Programme’, involving 24 influential buyers from all over the world to network and close deals. Jill Jiao, QTM exhibition manager, said additional gains in market share will be achieved in the long run through continued visa expansion and tourism product improvements, while the estimated number of jobs supported by the travel and tourism sector in 2030 will hit around 247,800.Participating pavilions will represent Visit Britain, African Tourism Board, Korea National Tourism Organisation, ENIT – Italian State Tourist Board, Azerbaijan Tourism Board, Visit Rwanda and Dominican Republic Tourism Board.