A fresh outlook

QNCC

Designed to lresemble a tree growing out of the desert, the Qatar National Convention Centre will feature a 2500-seat auditorium, 500-seat theatre, 15 meeting rooms and a multi-purpose hall for 4000 delegates.

"The tree at the front is the Sidra tree, which is native to the Gulf," explains Paul D'Arcy, general manager, QNCC.

"It was a type of tree under which the Bedouin used to meet and discuss, so it is very apt as a statement for our objectives."

The tree design comes inside the building, where the latest in AV technology will allow planners to project displays and presentations on the walls of the venue and change the way sound is projected in the auditoriums to better suit the style of the event.

"The seats in the auditorium can almost be described as business class airline seats - it is going to be a very pleasant experience," D'Arcy explains.

"QNCC will predominantly cater to the associations business in the sectors that Education City will target; education, science and technology, medical research and, being in the region, mining, oil and gas."

The site of the venue will also feature two five-star hotels and a golf course.

D'Arcy claims the competition from other new venues will not be damaging to QNCC and is confident bookings will fill up the venue's order book long before it opens its doors in 2010.

"There is great interest in the region and I think there is enough interest to fill all of the venues," he says.

QNCC management had just signed a deal to increase the total amount of exhibition space when MIME went to press, but no further details were available at this stage.

Going for green

But it is not only the growing infrastructure and professional service visitors will appreciate about Qatar; the destination's green credentials are also being recognised around the world.

UNWTO assistant secretary general Geoffrey Lipman says QMDI has a perfect opportunity to position Qatar as a centre for green events and capitalise on the added clout a green reputation will give the destination with international planners.

"It will serve Qatar well to be seen as a centre of this initiative and most importantly it will serve the planet well in promoting the kind of tourism that will keep our industry in the forefront of dynamic global development," he explains.

"In fact, if this kind of approach isn't at the core of all future events and meetings, organisers will simply go somewhere else."

Meredith concurs and points out that meeting certain green requirements was imperative for certain international organisations - both corporates and associations - to even consider bids.

"If we don't tick the right boxes in terms of being able to say we are green, whether it is green buildings or green policies etc, there are a certain number of events we won't be able to bid for," he explains.

Lipman concurs and stresses that Qatar should play on its strengths.

"The development that QMDI is spearheading is going to move the world to greener meetings and towards greener infrastructure," he explains.

"It is in the right place because Qatar is becoming a true epicentre of tomorrow's world, midway between the Asian growth dynamos and the established still dominant engines of Europe and America."

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