Qatar's riches

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The Hilton Doha is one of the projects announced by Hilton Hotels this year.

Being ranked as one of the richest countries in the world is not enough for Qatar, which is focused on doubling its current visitor numbers by 2010. Louise Oakley discovers how sporting bids and cultural events aim to drive a new leisure traveller to the market.

Qatar is the richest nation in the GCC and one of the richest in the world with a GDP per capita in 2008 of almost US $72,000, according to the latest Global Insight from Jones Lang LaSalle (February 2009).

During the current global economic downturn, Qatar stands out from the crowd, with GDP growth of 6% predicted for 2009 (Kuwait Finance House, Global Insight, February 2009), the fastest economic growth rate among the world's richest nations.

This has led Jones Lang LaSalle to conclude in its World Winning Cities report entitled Doha: Global Ambition, Regional Influence that Qatar is, as a result of its huge natural gas reserves, "punching well above its weight as one of the world's richest and most dynamic economies".

And in a strategy that will no doubt attract more hotel investors and developers - and ultimately, more tourists - Qatar has, according to Jones Lang LaSalle, taken "the art of place making further" as it develops a combination of "best-in-class sporting, cultural, leisure and other attractions to create a strong brand and identity on the global stage". In a sporting context, although unsuccessful in its bid for the 2016 Olympic Games, Qatar has since bid for the 2020 Olympic Games, as well as the FIFA World Cups in 2018 and 2022. If there is a positive outcome, the market will become ripe for hotel development.

In addition, tourism arrivals and hotel occupancies are planned to be bolstered through the creation of a new international airport, as well as the growth strategy of Qatar Airways and cultural attractions such as the Museum of Islamic Art, which opened earlier this year.

Alongside these "place-making" efforts, Qatar is also focused on infrastructural development, with two key projects including The Pearl-Qatar - which features three five-star hotels and a two million m² leisure hub - and Lusail, featuring the Entertainment District.

However, real estate market transparency is well below advanced markets, and Jones Lang LaSalle suggests that "the establishment of an active real estate regulator and the creation of more publicly-listed companies could stimulate the pace of change and market maturity".

And, although Qatar was the first market in the Middle East to open to outright foreign real estate ownership in 2004, most investors remain local or regional players, meaning foreign investment has been relatively untapped to date.

Hotel scene

The existing hotel stock in Qatar is approximately 5100 rooms. A further 2300 rooms are expected to be introduced by 2011 within the four- and five-star hotel market. Occupancy during Q1 averaged at a healthy 73%, but the typical summer drop witnessed by Qatar caused occupancy to drop below 50% in June this year, according to STR Global.

The total number of visitors in 2007 was 780,000, with this targeted to reach 1.4 million by the end of 2010.

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READERS' COMMENTS

wannabe
Posted by Alfi AShraf, Abu Dhabi, UAE on Wednesday 23 September 2009 at 15:47 UAE time


I agree with Hany Ayesh. the so called Dubai debacle isn't something which is totally devastating. And the city sure is not "deserted" as some claim. It is still very crowded, the airport arrivals are still crowded. Lay offs are there no doubt, but come on, when the biggies have been affected, why shouldn't Dubai be? plus, who said Doha hasn't seen lay offs? I work in Doha and i know how bad the construction companies have been hit, especially the infrastructure development companies.

Doha is ambitious and there is nothing wrong with that. Dubai needs competition from the region, and that will only improve Dubai. but the claims that Qatar makes, many of them are lofty and in reality not all that very rosy.

Good luck
Posted by Hany Ayesh, Dubai on Sunday 13 September 2009 at 13:36 UAE time


I really wish good luck to Doha. It is competing with Dubai regionally and with the big names globally... Why not? Let them compete and they'll win some and lose some but overall, the country will advance and it elevates the whole region in my opinion.

However, I hate marketing spin which this region is plagued with. Qatar is the richest because of its very small population and it is unequally distributed amongst this small population. Generally, Qatar is pretty boring still and expensive (I dunno why). Its infrastructure is simply not there and there is too much control and bureaucracy. Dubai is more business-friendly now with the recent "correction" and yeah, some people got laid-off but it is better here than it is in the US or the UK. Believe me!

No one wants to go to Qatar or KSA unless they really need to. I love Dubai forever!

Hot
Posted by Mohammed Kerr, Dubai, UAE on Tuesday 1 September 2009 at 14:30 UAE time


Qatar will never host either Olympics or World Cup. It's too hot. And it's the most boring place I've ever been. No offence, but being named Arab capital of culture is pretty much the same as winning the Zimbabwe-allcomers award for eliminating corruption.

Indeed Slow and Steady wins the race
Posted by Chakram, Doha, Qatar on Tuesday 1 September 2009 at 14:14 UAE time


First of all if you do not like the place, do not go there again.

Every country has its own regulations and procedures put in place for administration. I have seen Dubai go up like anything and ultimately it is like a grave yard now. Well it might pickup one day(who knows for how long!!??) but that did not happen here in Qatar.

The first options for people who lost their jobs in UAE is to look for work in Qatar. I'm not sure if you had visited Qatar for the same purpose.

Yeah, the airport is delayed for one year...to be honest there are not many maga projects that have been completed in time, when New Doha international airport is completed it would be one of a kind on this planet.

People living here in Qatar are very happy and love this country. Buildings does not come up like mushrooms

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