Businessmen and citizens called for allowing the private sector to invest freely in the tourism sector as a “partner” in sustainable development, noting the necessity of granting facilities and benefits to businessmen to enhance their investments in this sector while developing a comprehensive plan for each individual region of the country.
They emphasized to Al-Arab the importance of the development that the tourism sector in the country has witnessed in recent years, whether at the level of the number of visitors or at the level of developing the tourism infrastructure, noting some of the demands and proposals that the tourism sector needs to achieve further growth and advance local tourism, including strengthening the role of The private sector is investing in Qatar’s abundant recreational and family tourism components, as well as tourism events, tournaments and exhibitions, and giving it greater attention to diversifying tourism options for young people and families and increasing tourist attractions. Between citizens and residents with different tastes.
Hamad Al-Ahbabi: It is necessary to allow free investment in the sector
Mr. Hamad bin Maiqa Al Ahbabi, a businessman, stressed the importance of the role that tourism plays in the economies of countries because of its significant impact on economic development.
He said: “The economic impact of tourism appears in increasing foreign exchange revenues by providing the largest amount of foreign currencies that tourists spend, during their stay, on various tourist and non-tourist services and goods,” noting that tourism spending contributes to the development of a number of areas that feed… This sector provides the goods and services it needs.
Al-Ahbabi added: “The tourism sector in Qatar contributes 4.7% to the non-oil economy, a percentage that is still below ambition, which confirms the necessity of motivating business owners to pump investments into the tourism sector, increasing the promotion of Qatar tourism abroad… and motivating Qatar Airways to provide… Discount offers for people visiting Qatar for the purpose of tourism and recreation.”
He noted the importance of providing incentives for investments outside Doha to encourage businessmen to establish projects in foreign regions, by supporting the state by providing tax incentives, facilitating loans and grants, and distributing official events to municipalities. He explained that this requires a plan to distribute development gains between the various regions of the country after linking them to a modern transportation network according to economic studies based on (cost-benefit analyses) that include economic and social aspects, indicating that the basis for achieving sustainable development is the planning equation to distribute development gains in balance.
Al-Ahbabi also called for allowing the private sector to invest freely in the tourism sector as an effective partner in development, and granting benefits to this sector to increase its investments in the tourism field, after developing a comprehensive plan for each region separately in all regions of the country.
Issa Al-Nasr: Investment outside Doha must be encouraged
Issa Muhammad Al-Nasr called for facilitating procedures and laws to stimulate the private sector to invest in tourism, inside and outside Doha, while developing a national strategy to encourage tourism investments outside the city of Doha, by granting investment incentives and identifying sites to accommodate development and attract new service and tourism projects in various regions. Foreign Ministry, including the main municipalities, noting that this does not conflict with the concentration of tourism and commercial activity in the capital. He stressed that creating tourist attractions in some foreign cities does not have great chances of success without the involvement and support of the private sector, which is committed to Doha as a single destination for tourism investment.
He noted the need to open new areas for investment outside Doha by providing lands in external areas at reasonable prices to encourage the private sector to invest on the one hand.
He said: “This would calm land prices and their future trends, on the other hand, in light of the significant rise in land prices outside Doha, which contradicts the policy that aims to increase investments outside Doha, especially when the investor finds that the differences in prices are marginal between inside and outside Doha. In addition to developing and rehabilitating heritage villages to be attractive points for tourism and a legacy for future generations,” he pointed out the role of the Qatar Museums Authority in restoring, restoring and developing many areas and enhancing their role in the local and tourism community.
He expressed his hope to rehabilitate more villages and archaeological and heritage areas, as they represent an important historical era, stage, and path due to the development and development our country has witnessed. He stressed that their rehabilitation represents an extension and connection of the past to the present, and a historical narrative that narrates the nation’s journey from simplicity to modernity.
He explained that the restoration gives it a special aesthetic touch, while preserving its distinctive original character and the depth of local heritage, which reflects the identity of the place, its culture and its past.
Yousef Al-Jassem: Supporting startups has become a priority
Mr. Yousef Al-Jassim, a citizen, stressed that developing the tourism sector in the country requires enabling the private sector to play its role in revitalizing tourism, indicating that supporting emerging tourism companies has become a priority, through the incentives provided by the state to enhance marketing procedures and programs internally and externally, and sponsoring the activities of these companies. Companies and the promotion of their activities by the Qatar Tourism Authority, as the government entity responsible for planning, organizing and promoting a sustainable tourism sector in Qatar.
Al-Jassim pointed out that the weakness of the marketing process for domestic tourism programs requires the Ministry to support local tourism companies to revitalize and activate their role in promoting domestic tourism and ensuring that these companies operate in accordance with the highest standards while promoting Qatar’s culture, heritage and identity. He said: “The launch of the ‘Qatar National Strategy for the Tourism Sector’ contributed to the development of the tourism sector, including licensing processes, and made them smoother for investors and owners of tourist facilities, but it also requires reducing the annual license renewal fees for these local companies that struggle to activate local tourism programs and stimulate domestic tourism.”
The General Tourism Authority undertakes the process of licensing travel and tourism companies, tourism establishments and activities, and hotels, in addition to exhibitions and their organizers. Among the measures taken is reducing the time for obtaining a tourism license, provided that license applicants possess the necessary papers from other government agencies such as the Civil Defense Department and the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning. It is expected that the new system will contribute to raising the level of streamlines in the process of obtaining tourism licenses.
Abdul Rahman Ibrahim: The prices of facilities and services need oversight
Abdul Rahman Ibrahim, a citizen, said: “Imposing control on the prices of tourist facilities and services is one of the demands of the year 2025, with the necessity of classifying residential units in tourist resorts, chalets and sea camps according to categories, and limiting the exaggerated rise in prices for their role in promoting domestic tourism programs and attracting tourists from different sectors.” Cities of the World,” criticizing the current policy followed in the resort and chalet tourism sector of reducing offers and raising prices to force people to pay the available prices.
Regarding the prices of the tourism product, Abdul Rahman said that the standards of hotels in Qatar are among the best in the world, but he believes that the prices are exaggerated, stressing the importance of resorts and hotels operating in the country paying special attention to guests, both citizens and residents, by giving them incentive prices, given that most of the guests People in this category go to hotels with their families and can visit more than once during the year.
Regarding efforts to promote domestic tourism, he noted that Qataris are the best ambassadors for their country. Therefore, they spontaneously promote their country wherever they go, as they are famous for their high morals, generosity and chivalry, which is what the relevant authorities must exploit well by strengthening cooperation with various groups of young people and others to benefit from their ideas and voluntary efforts in promoting tourism in more than one way, until we find the impact of this on the ground.
He stressed that the high prices of tourist services in some hotels negatively affect tourism activity, noting that the country will benefit from the good reputation achieved after the World Cup by diversifying tourism other than business tourism, conferences and exhibitions, in addition to sporting events, but the high prices in Qatar in various sectors reduce competitiveness. for the tourism sector compared to traditional markets.