Panel speakers at the QTM 2021 Conference in Doha.
Doha: The on-going Qatar Travel Mart (QTM) 2021 has been attracting huge crowds since its opening, and has received an overwhelming response from sponsors, partners as well as exhibitors.
Organised by NeXTfairs for Exhibitions and Conferences, the three-day event will conclude today at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC).
Country pavilions and tourism boards during the event were excited to be in Qatar to meet local and international industry leaders. In particular, exhibitors were using B2B matchmaking tools to boost business connections with other exhibitors and hosted buyers.
QTM 2021, the first of its kind, is being held under the Patronage of the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H E Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani and its first two days have attracted tremendous support from numerous industry sponsors and partners.
The high-profile three-day Conference also proved a success as it covered topics such as ‘What the future holds for travel and tourism’, and ‘New developments and the recovery efforts of Qatar and the world’. Talks and panel discussions shared insights and best practices by a high-profile line up of global travel and tourism experts including Nigel Fell, President & CEO of The World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage (WTACH), Philippe Francois, President of the World Association for Hospitality and Tourism Education and Training (AMFORHT), Dr Cristina Ortega Nuere, Chief Scientific and COO of the World Leisure Organization, Florian Sengstschmid, CEO of Azerbaijan Tourism Board, Emad Abu Jalala, CEO Gulf Adventures, Dr Ivan Ninov, Executive Dean of Al Rayyan International University College (ARIU), Sergey Sukhanov, CEO of Corporation Tourism, RF, JSC, Nuno Anahory, Chairman of Forum Portugal Qatar, Dr Sunny, Managing Director of Maldives Halal Travel Guide, Nick Wilkinson, Regional Vice-President of the Norwegian Cruise Line, Rick Enders, Cluster General Manager at JW Marriott Marquis City Center Doha, H E Ridwan Hasan, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the State of Qatar, and Ariella Kageruka, Acting Chief Tourism Officer in Rwanda Tourist Board, in addition to other keynote speakers.
Rawad Sleem, Co-Founder and General Manager of NeXTfairs for Exhibitions and Conferences explained: “The first two days of Qatar Travel Mart have been a huge success and we are delighted with the overwhelming positive response from sponsors and partners as well as exhibitors. Exhibitors are especially pleased with the number of deals that they have generated to boost their businesses and appreciated being able to interact with so many visitors who have attended our first show. QTM has demonstrated how it serves as a platform to attract industry peers and countries from all over the world. This year’s event has also signalled the resurgence of the industry and shone a spotlight on the development of travel and tourism in Qatar as we approach the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 next year. With the world’s economies showing signs of recovery post pandemic, this is the perfect time for us to have launched QTM”.
He added: “Our B2B matchmaking platform has proved a great hit with exhibitors and hosted buyers and contributed significantly to their success. The media familiarisation trip we organised for the international and national press has taken off with a bang with an agenda to showcase what Qatar has to offer, ranging from a city tour and Dhow boat trip on the water to a hot balloon ride in the air. We are delighted with the results so far establishing QTM as a significant milestone date in the tourism industry’s calendar moving forward”.
