Doha: Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) honoured its employees who have spent between five and 20 years in service. The ceremony was held at the Annual Staff Meeting at Marriott Marquis hotel.
QTA Chief Tourism Development Officer Hassan Abdulrahman Al Ibrahim awarded 33 staff and thanked them on behalf of the QTA chairman and all employees for their loyalty and commitment over the past years.
Al Ibrahim said: “The tourism industry saw many developments in 2015, such as unveiling of Qatar First Destination Brand and joining the Cruise Arabia Alliance.
“As we are celebrating these accomplishments and readying for more growth in 2016, it was a must to recognise those who have witnessed QTA’s development for more than a decade and are credited for this growth, thanks to their hard work and dedication.”
QTA has recently experienced remarkable growth in line with the development of Qatar’s tourism industry, which the country’s leadership has identified as a priority in pursuit of a diversified national economy.
Last year, QTA established an Investment Promotions Unit, in addition to a Festival and Tourism Events Department.
The year was highlighted by the launch of QBIC-Tourism, a business incubator specialised in supporting businesses that contribute to enhancing Qatar tourism experience in addition to the opening of Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre.
Last year also witnessed significant developments on the global stage, with Qatar being selected by UNWTO as the official host of World Tourism Day in 2017.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) ranked Qatar as the second most competitive travel and tourism destination in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region in its 2015 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report.
Across the 14 dimensions, Qatar scored highly on a supportive Business Environment (ranking third globally), Safety and Security (second), Human Resources and Labour Market (14th), and Price Competiveness (19th).
QTA works in partnership with the public and private sectors to plan, regulate and promote a mature and sustainable tourism sector. The Peninsula
