Tightened criteria are coming

Doha. With the award for the FIFA World Cup in 2022, the small, oil-rich desert country of Qatar has placed itself on the world map. Just as Dubai had once created the marketing jump with the Burj Al Arab, now the government in Doha is gathering mega events. However, this decision has great consequences for the small country. Since then, the entire infrastructure has been placed on the test bench and above all, must also be suitably developed for the masses. Hotels play a central role along with this. Today, Doha counts 15,000 rooms and it should be 65,000 in ten years. Up to now, the control of the hotel offers lay almost exclusively in the hands of the state hotel company, Qatar National Hotels. It changed its name to "Katara Hospitality" at the beginning of May. At the same time, the government owner, developer and operator is making a "place" for external hotel investors. Therefore, it is more strongly involved beyond the country and has rapidly developed into a hotel company of international repute operating overseas in France, Switzerland, Italy, Egypt, Morocco, Comoros and Singapore. In Doha, Maria Puetz-Willems spoke with Hamad A. Al Mulla, Chief Executive Officer of Katara Hospitality, regarding Katara Hospitality, the hotel industry in Qatar and about the large hotel engagement abroad by the Qatari.