logo
logo
Sign in

Qatar's MICE Symphony: Harmonizing Success in Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions

avatar
Sumedha
Qatar's MICE Symphony: Harmonizing Success in Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions

Qatar has emerged as one of the leading Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) destinations in the Middle East over the past decade. With huge investments in infrastructure and facilities, the tiny Gulf nation is well positioned to attract a significant share of the lucrative MICE business globally.


Qatar's Bid for Regional MICE Leadership


Qatar started focusing on the MICE sector quite early on as part of its national strategy to diversify its oil-dependent economy. Megaprojects like the new Doha International Airport, metro system, highways and luxury hotels have transformed Qatar's capabilities to host world-class events. In recent years, Qatar has also invested heavily in dedicated MICE infrastructure like convention centers.


The Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) opened in 2011 at a cost of over $800 million. Situated near the airport, QNCC offers 65,000 sqm of versatile, column free space that can accommodate various events. The new Qatar Exhibition & Convention Centre (QECC), launched in 2018, provides 140,000 sqm of exhibition and meeting space. Such state-of-the-art facilities position Qatar competitively against long-established MICE hubs in the region.


Qatar's Bid to Host Mega Sports Events


Hosting mega global sporting events has bolstered Qatar's emergence on the world MICE stage. Doha's successes in winning bids to host the 2006 Asian Games and 2011 Handball World Championship demonstrated the country's capabilities. However, Qatar's biggest win was securing rights to host the 2022 Football World Cup, becoming the first Middle Eastern country to do so.


Preparations for the 2022 World Cup have vastly upgraded Qatar's hospitality infrastructure with new hotels, fan zones and venue upgrades. Over 200,000 rooms have been added across hotels, apartments, villas and cruise liners. Eight new, iconic stadiums will be ready well before the 2022 tournament. These multi-billion dollar investments make Qatar increasingly attractive to host other major exhibitions and conferences too.


Establishing Qatar as a MICE Hub


To establish itself as a global MICE hub, Qatar launched innovative strategies and marketing initiatives. The Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) led aggressive global outreach efforts showcasing the country's safe, high-end infrastructure and pro-business culture. The Qatar Convention Bureau collaborated with stakeholders to source MICE events.


Dedicated industry infrastructure like the Qatar International Expo Centre, Qatar Livestock Company and Al Shaqab Equestrian Academy provide world-class facilities for various events. The Qatar MICE Alliance formed in 2016 brought Qatar's major MICE events in Qatar players on one platform, further strengthening coordination. New initiatives like the Qatar MICE Awards and Ramadan Arts Festivals have expanded Qatar's offerings.


Growing MICE Sector Contribution


These sustained efforts have yielded positive results, with Qatar hosting over 800 MICE events annually attracting 380,000 delegates by 2018. The rapid growth in Qatar's MICE business is evident from the spending figures. The Qatar MICE market was valued at nearly $300 million in 2016 by Colliers International, growing 30% annually.


The sector directly contributes around $860 million to Qatar's GDP according to 2018 estimates from Qatar National Tourism Council. Over 10,000 permanent MICE-related jobs have been created in Qatar. By 2022, the MICE sector's economic impact is projected to touch $1.3 billion, cementing its role as a key employment and income generator apart from boosting the overall tourism economy.


Leveraging FIFA World Cup 2022 Legacy


With the 2022 World Cup now in clear sight, Qatar is leaving no stone unturned in optimizing its MICE potential from this mega-event. Enhanced hospitality infrastructure will provide unmatched facilities to host global conventions and exhibitions post-2022. Qatar aims to leverage the massive promotional opportunities during the World Cup and its legacy projects to cement global perception of itself as a preferred MICE hub.


Get More Insights Here

https://www.newsanalyticspro.com/qatars-mastery-in-meetings-incentives-conferences-and-exibition/

collect
0
avatar
Sumedha
guide
Zupyak is the world’s largest content marketing community, with over 400 000 members and 3 million articles. Explore and get your content discovered.
Read more