from the current approximately 20,000 keys to 45,000 – 60,000 rooms, as per the FIFA requirement for 2022, with around 6,000 of the new units being placed on cruise ships.
"The year 2015 saw around 4,000 new hotel rooms come onto the market and this year, the number is set to further increase," indicated Suleiman, claiming that despite the fast-growing supply, occupancy levels are expected to average around 80 percent with average daily rates and RevPAR also maintaining healthy levels.
As Al Thani revealed, so far, the country has managed to balance supply and demand with occupancy levels rising from 65 percent to 73 percent in 2015.
Speaking about the proliferation of accommodation establishments, Suleiman said, "The key to maintain high performance rates is to offer a variety of accommodation across all levels, from entry level and budget hotels to high end and ultra-luxurious resorts, catering to all needs.
" Suleiman cited a recent QTA report that showed that visitors booking lengthier stays tend to opt for deluxe or standard hotels, while less nights are registered more in three-star establishments.
According to Schmid, the emergence of economic brands in Qatar mirrors global trends.
"Until recent years, developers were more focussed on the five-star and luxury segment, whereby the last few years' economic development has dictated the markets to be more price conscious and value driven thus resulting in a strong need of budget hotels.
To sustain or even boost performance levels, Qatar is determined to almost triple its visitor numbers by 2030, thus the need to improve accessibility in air, on the sea and on the ground – where the Doha metro project is well underway – as well as at the borders.
"Naturally, [more relaxed] visa restrictions and additional infrastructure will make the destination more accessible," underlined Sayess.
Schmid concurred saying, "A key contributor for a strong increase will be based on how Qatar will proceed with the provision of tourist visas as well as the requirements towards international conference planners and attendees to facilitate the staging of mega events in Doha.
Additionally, as Schmid noted, re-evaluating the process of working visas could also help attract the best talent to the country, further enhancing service levels.
As more and more people make their way to Qatar, traffic at the stateof- the-art Hamad International Airport continues to surge in tandem with the tourism industry's evolvement with the hub handling 8.4 million passengers in the third quarter of 2015 alone, up 23 percent year-on-year.
Badr Mohammed Al Meer, chief operating officer, Hamad International Airport, attributed the phenomenal growth to the increased frequency of several airlines' weekly flights as well as the arrival of new carriers to the Qatari capital, noting that the numbers are also a testament to the continued rapid expansion of Qatar Airways.
Since its relaunch in 1997, Qatar Airways has expanded its footprint to over 150 key business and leisure destination, operating a fleet of more than 170 aircraft.
As Ahmed Hisham, director of sales and marketing, Mövenpick Hotel West Bay Doha, put it, "Qatar is ever changing – be it creating more hotels or outlets for visitors, or upgrading road and transport options. All the steps are being taken to ensure a smooth and comfortable stay for those who visit Qatar."
