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Experts to discuss 'Tourism in Tomorrow’s World'

Doha, February 22, 2014

Qatar will play host to a major tourism conference which will address issues in respect of the sustainable development of major infrastructure and the management of hospitality in the light of challenging circumstances.

"Tourism in Tomorrow’s World" is the first conference on tourism and hospitality to be held under the patronage of Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani. It will run from February 23 to 24 at Renaissance City Center Hotel, said the event organisers.

Qatar is a perfect host country for the conference as it is developing tourism and hospitality resources at an ever-increasing pace to become the region’s emerging hospitality capital, they stated.

Stenden University Qatar, the European Tourism Future’s Institute (ETFI) and Al Rayyan Tourism Investment Company (ARTIC) – part of the Al Faisal Holding Group, are hosting the conference.

The event is being conducted with the support of the Qatar Tourism Authority, the lead organisation in Qatar on tourism development.

Tourism, despite sometimes experiencing small set backs, is a growth industry like no other. In 2012 the international tourist arrivals grew by 4 per cent to surpass a record 1 billion, according to the organisers.

The World Bank estimates that in 2030, only 17 years from now, 66 per cent of the globe’s total middle class (just under 4.8 billion people) will live in the Asia-Pacific region.

In 2009 these figures were 28 per cent and a total middle class population of 1.8 billion. Part of the definition of middle class life is the ability to spend on leisure and vacations, they stated.

"Apart from shifting fortunes, the rise of the middle classes also brings social and political changes. These produce challenges for the tourism and hospitality industry. People want more and they want better. The advent of social media brings with it the power of the individual, whose voice can be heard."
 
"Well thought out schemes of quality classification are brought down by the voices of individual experiences. We need to act and we need to react appropriately to stay on top of this game," said the organisers.

The conference will address issues in respect of the sustainable development of major infrastructure, the management of hospitality in the light of challenging circumstances, and aspects of a changing world with people who demand high quality hospitality and touristic resources.

Leading speakers lined up for the event include Issa Al Muhannadi, the chairman of QTA; Dr Taleb Rifai, the secretary general of UNWTO (Global Tourism Development); Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, the chairman of Al Faisal Holding Group, Gurjit Singh, the chief development officer of Aldar Properties and Prof John Ap of Stenden University Qatar who will speak on The Behaviour of the Tourist of the Future.

Leading global experts Prof Ian Yeoman of European Tourism Futures Institute will shed light on the 'Future of Tourism,' while Sumathi Ramanathan, the regional general manager of VisitBritain will discuss London after the Olympics, it added.-TradeArabia News Service




Tags: Qatar | tourism | Conference |

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