‘80,000 hotel rooms to be ready’ by 2016

A TOTAL of 22 new hotels are set to open in Qatar by June, a spokesman for the Doha 2016 bid committee said yesterday. 
“And by 2016, more than 80,000 hotel rooms will be available in the country,” he added. “All of these rooms will be ready well in advance of 2016, regardless of the International Olympic Committee’s decision for a host city in 2009,” the official said.  
“Qatar is one of the top five fastest growing economies in the world. As a result, the city is building new infrastructure at a phenomenal rate. More than $100bn in infrastructure and investment projects is aimed to be completed by 2012. The Qatar Master Plan also envisions Qatar as the major academic, sports and tourist centre of the Middle East.”
The expansion over the next four years will see several conglomerates investing billions of dollars in a series of hotels and hospitality related developments in Qatar. The Four Seasons, Hyatt, Hilton, InterContinental and other multinational hotel corporations are constructing new properties in Doha to meet the high demand, said the official. 
The chairman of the Doha 2016 Olympic and Paralympics Games Bid, Hassan Ali bin Ali said that he was immensely pleased with the growth within the hospitality sector in Qatar and that as a result the country would become a more attractive destination for sports, business and tourism.
A survey conducted by the consultancy firm, Deloitte showed that the Middle East hotel industry is one of the fastest growing hospitality sectors in the world. Revenues per room (RevPar) increased by 17% in 2007, exceeding both Asia Pacific and Europe, with a promising outlook in the near future.
According to the UN World Tourism Organisation, the Middle East recorded the largest percentage increase in tourism in 2007, surging 13% to 46mn arrivals. Furthermore, the World Travel and Toursim Council predicts that the Middle East will be the only region to remain on course for 5% growth in travel and tourism this year.
“Qatar is one of the most exciting countries to visit in the Middle East. We have a rich culture and vibrant history, which can be traced back as far as 4000BC. Visitors to Qatar have wonderful opportunities to explore the natural environment, take desert safaris, visit our ancient monuments, relax at our many beaches and pools or attend one of the many international sporting competitions held in Qatar on a regular basis. Whatever your interest, there is something for everyone in Qatar,” said Hassan Ali bin Ali.
By late 2009, the first phase of the New Doha International Airport (NDIA) will be open at a cost of $9.5bn. NDIA will be the biggest airport in the Middle East with two parallel runways, an initial capacity of 24mn passengers per year and the ability to facilitate more than 50mn passengers per year upon completion, said the official.