New hotels with Qatar Clean certification will be FIFA-ready and set to welcome fully vaccinated visitors soon.
Starting November 21 next year, 32 teams from all over the soccerverse will converge in Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. If all goes well and travel and events have opened up fully by then, the first ever football World Cup to be held in the Arab world, Doha will host multitudes of global fans as well. The country is pulling out all the stops in gearing up for this monumental, almost month-long event. According to the Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC), 105 new hotels and serviced apartments are being added to Qatar’s already extensive hospitality portfolio. The new properties will broaden Qatar’s appeal to a range of travellers and enhance the visitor experience.
His Excellency Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive and Secretary General, QNTC, says, “We are continuing to expand our tourism offer to ensure guests enjoy the best of Qatari hospitality while being able to choose a hotel, resort or serviced apartment that accommodates to their budget and needs. These upcoming properties are part of our strategy to diversify our offering and broaden our appeal to visitors. We are pleased to expand our global tourism offer in line with Qatar National Vision 2030 and provide travellers with more options to experience the very best of Qatar.”
Among the new launches are exciting ones such as the five-star luxury Banyan Tree Doha (designed by renowned interior designer Jacques Garcia), Accor’s five-star Pullman Doha West Bay, the towering JW Marriott West Bay, and the Steigenberger Hotel, close to the airport. Each of these new hotels contribute a unique amenity or experience to Qatar’s 183-property strong portfolio, which is made up of nearly 32,000 keys.
High on hygiene and health safety
In addition, QNTC has been successful with its ‘Qatar Clean’ programme launched in partnership with the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), with 100 per cent of their licensed hotels now ‘Qatar Clean’ certified. The programme ensures the highest standards in hygiene and cleanliness, with rigorous procedures in place to ensure the safety of customers, which include the appointment of a Qatar Clean Programme Manager in each hotel, daily sterilisation of all facilities and guest areas, frequent and thorough cleaning, disinfectant in all rooms, air conditioning systems, water tanks, and toilets. It also mandates the adoption of mobile or other contactless procedures for check in and check out, and optimising spaces to maintain a distance of at least two metres between individuals, daily temperature checks on all employees, suppliers and guests. The W Doha, was the first hotel to be certified Qatar Clean. A year later, now that all licensed hotels are now fully certified, the programme is being expanded to restaurants, and can be rolled out to other sectors including transport, retail and culture.
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