Ramy James Salameh is on the ball in Qatar, reporting on the MICE goals to be netted as part of the World Cup 2022 tournament’s legacy:
Unless you live on Mars, you will be aware that Qatar will host the first ever FIFA World Cup in the Middle East this year. The tournament will be a series of ‘firsts’: hosting the tournament in European winter (21 November-18 December) and being the most compact World Cup in history, with all games taking place in a cluster of eight stadiums, in and around the capital, Doha. Add in some sustainable innovation in the form of the first fully demountable ‘974 World Cup stadium’, built from 974 shipping containers, and the tournament is already setting a benchmark, both in terms of legacy and in positioning Qatar’s MICE aspirations.
Qatar’s National Vision 2030
Business travel and MICE is seen as a key part of Qatar’s National Vision 2030: “Qatar’s tourism strategy is to target six million international visitors annually by 2030, with the MICE and business travel sector set to contribute 23% to the overall tourism segment,” says Philip Dickinson, VP international markets, Qatar Tourism: “Our objectives are to maximise incentives and large meetings, while growing international conferences from 34 to 80+ and international exhibitions from 24 to 60+ by 2030.”
The destination is looking to use the World Cup as means of evolving perceptions of this Gulf state, especially with the emphasis on diversification of Qatar’s economy, and knowledge clusters, now forming major districts around the capital.
Mazen Rabbo, MD, Auditoirem, a PCO based in Doha, says: “Qatar has everything to host any MICE event; the best airline, the best Airport and hub, in Hamad International (SkyTrax ‘Best Airport in the world’ 2021), a strong transportation system and infrastructure with the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) and Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC) ”.
The authorities are promoting their ‘Cultural authenticity meets modernity’ tag. “Qatar’s focus on sports and culture with global resonance, is a differentiator from regional neighbours,” adds Rabbo.
Linking past, present and future
Qatar’s specialisms include life science and medical technologies, education, cyber security and ICT, media and creativity, sports and tourism. Much has been driven forward by the Qatar Foundation under the stewardship of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned. The Qatar Foundation HQ sits within its own flagship project, Education City home to the new National Library, Sidra Hospital and the QNCC whose facade incorporates the ancient Sidra Tree in its design. QNCC recently hosted DIMDEX 2022, a major marine defence event that took over all nine halls and 40,000sqm of floor space. “We even had helicopter exhibits flown to our helipad before being placed in the exhibition,” says Bashar Amro, senior sales manager, QNCC.
In 2022 QNCC signed an MoU with DECC to help attract a wider net of international events; DECC hosted the FIFA World Cup draw in April and FIFA will take exclusive use of QNCC as the centre of its operation, alongside the world’s media, during the tournament.
Other clusters include Medical City and the Aspire Zone, which is the capital’s sports hub fuelling one of the fastest growing sports economies, estimated to be worth US$6.8bn by 2025. Within the zone is The Sport Accelerator, bringing together elite sport businesses under one roof.
Smart city of the future
The past driving the future is an ever-present theme: Msheireb Downtown Doha is a gleaming new district of Doha, a smart city of the future with sustainability at its core. Recently, it hosted Fira Barcelona’s three-day Smart City Expo 2022, bringing sustainability experts together: “For challenges in today’s world like sustainability and innovation, smart cities are part of the solution,” says Ricard Zapatero, director, Fira Barcelona. Microsoft, Cisco, Qatar Invest and other major companies lined the districts longest street, with alfresco business meetings intentionally disrupted to showcase the free tram that circuits the area.
Culture and creativity
Msheireb is connected by an underpass to Souq Waqif, which keeps alive Qatar’s innate cultural richness: from falconry, spices, perfumery to arts and crafts. The Katara Cultural Village buzzes with creativity; regular festivals make use of the area’s art galleries, theatres and Greco-Roman inspired Katara Amphitheatre which seats 5,000 people. Golf buggies offer free transport throughout, allowing visitors to move easily between traditional Qatari buildings and classicist European streets.
The 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum opened in April and will form part of post-World Cup legacy tour, but maybe the stand-out Museum venues have to be the Museum of Islamic Art and the new National Museum of Qatar.
Adaptability
Qatar’s diverse and growing range of venues alongside Qatar Airways’ QMICE one-stop product is designed to improve options for event planners.
Doha has also stepped in as the host city for the 78th IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit (June 2022) which was moved from Shanghai due to China’s new Covid restrictions.
“As face-to-face events return, Qatar Airways is committed to supporting global meetings and bringing businesses and communities together. Our QMICE solutions simplify the organisation of meetings and events, in Qatar, or in any of our 150 destinations worldwide,” is the pitch from Matt Raos, senior VP global sales at Qatar Airways.
Incentives
Qatar is defining its incentive offering, curating experiences around natural and cultural assets through destination management companies (DMCs) such as Discover Qatar; located 60km north of Doha. Visitors can kayak among the lush greenery of Al-Thakira Mangroves to learn about this salt-water ecosystem. In the southern-most point of Qatar’s coast, there is the ever popular 4×4 off-road desert safari, spilling guests over dramatic sand dunes until they reach the UNESCO recognised inland sea (Khor Al Udaid) where desert and sea meet.
Back in Doha, another sea-based activity is explored on traditional hand-crafted wooden dhow boats, inextricably linked to Qatar’s fishing and pearl diving heritage and a must-do activity especially at sunset. Another incentive idea to take flight is the falconry experience at Souq Waqif.
At the Al Shaqab equine centre, a gala dinner can be organised while viewing Arabian horses circling the paddock. The centre promotes Qatar’s Arabian-horse heritage and is a leading global centre for equine professionals.
Tipping point…
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is being seen by many as the tipping point towards securing Qatar’s vision as a global business, event and cultural hub framed by heritage. Major sporting events have the power to accelerate change, especially when an estimated 1.5m visitors will descend on a country with a population of just 2.6m, across one month, with 3.6bn viewing on TV.
Qatar is ready for the big kick-off and its MICE industry has every chance of running with the ball long after the final whistle of the football tournament.
