Qatar Tourism & Accor Explore the Future of Travel
Well, it's good to talk about tourism. It's an uplifting sector to talk about. One of the more fun, fun titles to be on today. Your Excellency, I want to start with you. I know tourism has been a big focus in Qatar, part of the diversification efforts. The numbers were really good. They were solid for last year. You're already at 5 million tourists versus your 2036 million target. So you're getting very close to your
your 2030 target. Exactly. Talk to us about how important you expect the tourism sector to be as a driver of Qatar's growth in the next few years. Amazing. Firstly, I'm very happy to be with you on the stage with my brother Sebastian here and talking to this beautiful audience. As you know, everybody in the region, globally, they are looking to increase the number of visitors in Doha or in Qatar. We succeeded to reach 5 million visitors
in 2024, which is like 25% increase from 23. But let take this opportunity when Sebastian here on the stage with me, we are focused more on room nights. First time we reach more than 10 million room nights and 2024, which is a metric allows us to measure the economic impact or economic growth. This is the most important, I think, for us in Qatar. And everybody agrees hoteliers knows about cost, which is give you indications and numbers about where the tourists come from and how long they stay and things. And I'm very happy to find Qatar ranking number one in the region with the growth around 22% and room nights, which even all Dubai or Saudi taking the lead and headlines. But number two and three is Abu Dhabi
and Kuwait for growth of room nights around between ten and 8%. We are building on this and try to drive this numbers to grow and to have real impact on our economy. Is it fair to say that it's not just about the number of tourists who come in, but how long they stay and come? Yes, this is what we are trying to focus on what how long they can stay in Doha to extend the staycation here in Doha and what to find what the people looking for here in Doha about the adventure, the sun, sea and sand, more quality time with the families, and to use the diversified offering here in our city in Doha. And Michael Bublé, if you're here this week. Yes, Michael Bublé Friday, I hope everybody have just that. So yesterday I had the opportunity to
speak to His Excellency, the Prime Minister, and he said one line that caught a lot of attention that the World Cup was sort of like an IPO moment for for Qatar. Yes. So it's publicly trading, though. Qatar said, to continue the analogy. What are the next big events we can watch out for and the next few years? Actually, the big events, non-stop activity for us to host here in Doha and to utilise the great infrastructure we have the stadiums, the venues, the transportation, the connectivity, the great connectivity which Qatar Airways to provide also. So we the end of this year we are hosting two big tournaments. FIFA World Cup under 70 and an Arab Cup
for the second time here in Doha and the F1. So there are three major sports events happening in the last quarter of this year. And around it, there is many, many events in our calendar to activate this great event and the upcoming. And at the moment we are hosting the World Cup for table tennis and the 2027 basketball World Cup and 2030. We will host the Asian Games for the
second time. Okay, so there's a lot to look forward to. Sebastian, let me turn to you. I guess it's music to your ears to hear that His Excellency wants to focus on the number of nights extending the number of nights that the tourists that remain in the country. How do you look to take advantage of
that? Well, I guess the first thing to say for me is I am in his hand. Yeah, it's kind of actually interesting to admit we are extruded depending from one another. I am depending on the government of Qatar in terms of vision, ambition, tourism plan with Excellency is now leading.
And of course, for him to deploy and execute, he is a little bit depending on me and my peers. But let's start first with he is the decision maker and I have to listen and I have to basically be devil's advocate and then I have to make sure I can fulfill the promise. That being said, I. People probably don't realize it, but I came the first time in this country in 1992. 33 years ago. And I've been coming to this country
well above 100 times over the last 30 years. And so and we have the same baby blues. We as French. We missed the Olympic of last year. That was the best time ever for France, you and Qatar. And I'm with you. We missed the soccer. I still have nostalgia because, you know, it's nostalgia because that was the best time of all of us basically describing the best of Qatar and the best of friends.
So now we basically have to play on it, build on it and revive it. And it's not that easy. What I've been saying for a lot of time, which is why I love this country, is you have everything. Qatar has everything from the very first day started with Qatar Foundation, with university, with schools, with hospitals. Then Qatar Airways is a gem. But a lot of people don't know of the
existence of Qatar Museum and so many other things. So what do we need to do together since it exists? So this is being invested. Can we please show it off? And this is where we are today. And it's and it's really building up for the last 24 months better than we all expected. Just have to get going. Certainly sounds like it from the numbers. So let me just ask you about those
numbers. Paraphrasing what His Excellency said. The numbers into Qatar are big growth of north of 20%. Other countries in the region also and the GCC around 10% ish. How does that compare to other pockets around the world? Well, the world is very easy to predict. And I being please agree with me. Tourism, travel industry is a blessed industries in 1970.
That industry has been growing between three and 5% per annum for the last 50 years. Supply and you supply has been growing one and a half to 2% per annum for the last 50 years. So you had a demand exiting supply by two times the next 20 years. For sure, demand is going to grow no longer 3 to 5, but probably 4 to 6.
Supply will remain one and a half to two. So we're going into golden ages where demand is going to exceed supply by three times. Why you need three cylinders to grow. Do you have a higher demography in the world? And two is yes. Do you have the high growth of emerging middle class? Answer is yes. Do you have a higher means of transport? Whether it's road trains, airport? The answer is yes. Now, you've seen this issue and I was
very happy. His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah talk before GCSE for me is one country. He's so right. And GCSE has been increasing since pre-COVID by 32% in terms of this nation, which is 95 million. Oddly enough, since I'm very French, it's still not there yet on France alone, which is 100 million. So but of course, this is going to be way beyond France in in probably in two years from today. So now it's a question you have the demand, you have the supply. And what's so interesting, out of the
1.6 billion people who travel, they go now much more to the Middle East, much more to Asia-Pacific and less to Europe. What we need to do is on any social media, any app in any corridor channel industry, we need to basically talk about it, which is why we had this forum today.
And we need people to stay longer because it costs a fortune to get somebody to Doha, make sure they spend that extra tonight. So would you say for a course specifically this is the fastest growing region in the world for your business? Yeah. What people, when they travel one half of social media content is on travel and tourism and food and beverage. Half of it.
Half of it is about souvenir. What is it that you like? You always forget what people say. You always forget what people act, but you don't forget what they make you feel. No, but I'm very serious. Everything about feeling, sentiment,
memories, souvenir. This is very tough to execute. So what we need to do here, and which is why I'm so attached to Qatar Museum, Qatar to exhibit fashion industry, there's a lot of things you can do. So the luxury segment, which is easier than the standardised Midscale economy segment. Your Excellency, talk me through what
Qatar is doing on medical tourism. This is an interesting conversation you and I were having in the back, and I'd love to hear more about it and what your plans are. Exactly. You know, Qatar is one of the highest countries in the world to have spending on health care. And I think that His excellency, the prime minister mentioned this to us yesterday, where we are spending around 12% from our annual budget on the health care. And we are in Qatar tourism. Look, I look at it as like it's an opportunity.
And we worked very closely with the Ministry of Health to develop the new health tourism strategy. And we just finished and presented to the PM and it's got approved. This can help us to capitalize on this investment, to call people to come and enjoy the quality of health care here in Doha and to target on this audience as a main target for us.
Please come enjoy our quality of health care and our quality and safety in the city. This can drive also more people to Doha and to justify this big amount of investment, putting in the sector and also serve our tourism sector. But always what I I'm looking for to use this technology to talk about these projects, about these initiatives. And this is what we are focusing on with AI, with big tech companies in Doha, and put tourism more closely with the people to let people, everyone to know what they can have and what they can enjoy. Here in Doha, if we are not speak enough as about the tourism that has many tools, we can spread the information and the services. And
and it's really very interesting working on this. And and is that is the purpose of that to attract a different demographic than who is currently? Yes. As I mentioned at the beginning, I'm not looking to drive the numbers high rather than to stay more under quality of of of visitors to enjoy our our excellent service here in Doha and Qatar tourism. We have something called Qatar Excellence Academy. It's covering all aspects and this sector from museums to guys, Dempsey's taxi drivers, teaching people, even tour operators out of Doha about what we have here in Doha and using also our partners as a core or any other hotel company to talk about Doha and promote Doha more and more. Hmm. Sebastian, you were saying what? You've been in Qatar since 1992.
Is that what you said just now? Yeah. Do you feel like because you've been here longer, you have a competitive advantage over the other hotel operators who are looking at the region as well, because there has to be more competition now. I wish your answer is yes. I don't believe so.
Why not? Well, because the Qataris are very demanding. They they love me for who I am, but they want they want more. That's a good thing. Yes, a high standard, though. So it's a no. I think I have a better read on the Qatari officials and have a very deep relationship. But that's good. But that's not good enough. So I know. And the more I know them, the more they ask for me.
So I guess. But seriously, it's. The difficulty of this country. And it's one and it's being addressed. We don't have enough luxury beach resort experiences. The build it in Dubai, they are building it today on the Red Sea in Saudi. They built it in Abu Dhabi. And we are I say we as Qatar, we are
late in this country. And most of the luxury hotels today still don't have great beach access, which is why all together for the last four years, we basically launched this land of legends and the golf resort to all that 5 billion investment being made by Qatar is a non Qatar is, by the way, the theme park, the water park, the retail done by Land of Legend, which I am associated with. We being saying to the official for the first time, we want non category to put the money at work. We're going to put skin in the game, we're going to build it. But that is what's missing in this country is people will come here if they have entertainment, leisure, water. I know it I found exists and could have been built. I'm just saying we need more of them and
we need to go quick at it because other countries will offer the same thing and hopefully not sooner. But we need to catch up. So I'm saying we. I'm an outsider, but I get it. I thank you for this frank answer. But all of what he said, it's already been addressed, Don, that we have seen that the special projects have been announced and big investment, 20 billion riyal investment, I think will drive the tourism sector forward. And
as a new product, a new offering to utilise the beautiful beaches of Qatar. What's the name of the project? It's this Mesma project. It's 20 minutes drive from the hotel and it will have the great Land of Legends theme park with different kind of offering resorts will be around it with a great golf course, which will give a great experience for the visitors. We will announce tomorrow when we will
sign here to the first pipe project between Qatar Tourism and Public Authority and Ministry of Commerce and Industry. And further details will be announced in tomorrow's press conference. It's a project about development, a new development for the new beaches here in town and Doha. We are developing also the beach for this hotel, which is missing. And by the way, we stopped licensing new
hotels in Doha. We have around 40,000 kms and 77,000 kms and pipeline. The only hotels I will going to give a license to it is beach or waterfront resorts and hotels. This is what's missing in Qatar.
He's right. But we are working on this. The first thing was on to something. Then how do you how do you think about the interplay between luxury and sustainability? Actually, luxury and sustainability is very well integrated here in Qatar. And every and each a project been developed for them recently in Doha for what to mention at our book resorts, we have great Habitats hotel there that's being built and around Biosphere Reserve it's UNESCO's designated area. It was very environmentally strict areas, but we developed great luxury resorts to their Jiangxi. The Pattern National Convention Center. That's it's one of the latest. It's been there for ten years.
It's the first convention center in the region have. Lead certificate which is also focus on sustainability, sustainability and luxury. Michelle have done time. It's very well designed as a luxurious place and also environmentally friendly. So luxury and sustainability is really very well integrated by design and. Sebastian, earlier you were talking about people Remember how a place made them feel as opposed to what they did.
How do you maximize customer experience in your hotels? Well, it's all about service and we talked about a little bit. I will be an enhancer before and after the stay of the clown doing the stay. Anything which is human interaction, smile, service expertise, they do something before you ask is what you remember. And I hope all of you staying here in the Fairmont and Raffles will remember the quality of the people you have met. I just want to do a side note because I
don't want to forget about it and I haven't talked about it with you. You sit and she is. What we need to do together soon is we need to target India. India will be a game changer when it comes to international emerging markets. People. We go to India quite a lot. You have today 40 to 50 million Indians travelling away from India. Americans are one, 60, Chinese are 160
million. I guarantee you within three or four years that number will go from 40 to 50 to 150 million. Only within three years those people from India will go east. They're going to go to Southeast Asia West. They're going to go to G60. And those people don't know the world yet. They are the emerging middle classes.
They need to be caretakers. We with in Doha. We can welcome a lot of Indians. Hundreds of thousand will actually reach your target. We need to go at the source. Qatar Airways is the best equipped. Indigo Airline is the best equipped.
This is how we should actually banding together is go to the source and basically invent for them what they are looking for, which is warmth, culture, interactions, entertainment and memories. It's absolutely doable. So I don't know what it's worth, what to say on this point. We are you know, India is in tier one of our priority markets. And what we just published recently that every Indians got UK and Schengen as Australia visa can enter Doha. Yeah, well the visa are not even.
I think this will enable more to target Indian visitors to Doha, also Pakistan. So this is very important market. We are looking for more slots for Qatar Airways with India this great potential and they think they will have the great experience here in Qatar. Final, final quick question for you. I'm going to put you on the spot. So I have only ever been to Qatar for business purposes.
Let's say I want to come and do a one week visit because we want longer hotel stays. And I want to stay for a week with my family. What should I do? And it will be not be enough to explain what you. I would say I have to take a Qatar Airways flight to get here. A lot of things out of things. I'm sure you will have the best time for
you, especially as a family. It's suitable for all types of travellers, all different ages with the and the wide offering of shopping experience or cultural experience and beautiful museums here in Doha, traditional souk, the culinary the food in Doha is really great and I am sure that as many of us, the food is the first factor to decide where to go, and I am sure they can have the best meal here and offer Jumana, the head concierge here, is called Randi. There is 3800 calendar in the world. Our corps has 120 of them. Randy will give you by 5 p.m. tonight. Absolutely everything for seven days. Within Qatar, you're going to have it. You'll be very surprised. Everything has been prepared for the World Cup.
When we send 12,000 people here, it's already existing. It's already being planned. Make sure you do spend a week. I'll give you all the excuse in the world, but there are 5 p.m. You'll have it in your in your hotel room.
And by visiting, visit or using visit Qatar application that will give you a set or read the itineraries for three days and four days and five days itineraries. It's already there.
2025-05-23 18:41
