Qatar Tourism And Exhibitions Auhtority: The Qatar Tourism & Exhibitions Authority this week launched a new worldwide tourism strategy to promote Qatar as a world class cultural and business destination. As part of this strategy, Qatar announced the opening of the largest Islamic Art Museum in the Middle East. The Museum will open in December and will be dedicated to reflecting the full vitality, complexity and diversity of the arts of the Islamic world.
The spectacular institution will preserve, collect, study and exhibit masterpieces spanning three continents and thirteen centuries. The collection includes manuscripts, ceramics, metal, glass, ivory, textiles, wood and precious stones. The artworks date from the 7th through to the 19th century. Through an international partnerships with museums around the world, the Museum of Islamic Art will bring new people to Qatar, acting as an international centre for dialogue and cultural exchange. This Museum forms part of a drive by the Qatar Museums Authority to transform Qatar into the cultural capital of the Middle East.
Qatar is investing $17 billion over the next five years on the tourism infrastructure, including the construction of luxury hotels, resorts and other leisure facilities which will increase still further the attraction of Qatar to foeign visitors. Doha's new International Airport will open in 2012, bringing an estimated 50 million passengers through Qatar. Qatar Tourism & Exhibitions Authority is targeting 5% of these passengers to stay 48 hours more than their initial scheduled time. Qatar is already known as a dynamic and progressive business hub, and will now also focus on promoting its upscale leisure and cultural attractions.
Qatar already has 15000sq m of exhibition space, and two new state of the art conference and exhibition centres will opn in Doha before 2011. These centres will increase the international reputation of Qatar as a world class business centre.
Mr Ahmed A. Al Nuaimi, Chairman of Qatar Tourism & Exhibitions Authority, commented : "Tourism in Qatar is business oriented combined with unique leisure attractions. Qatar is a world class destination, and targets a growth of 20 % of new travellers in the next five years. The opening of the Museum of Islamic Art reinforces the cultural importance of Qatar in the Middle Eastern region and will bring new visitors to the country."
The Qatar Tourism & Exhibitions Authority is accompanied in WTM by a high level delegation, including several Qatar tourism officials and organisations such as the Qatar Museum Authority, and 20 major travel and accomodation Qatari companies.
Qatar Tourism and Exhibitions Authority is promoting Qatar to the important European market, by focusing on buyers from the Meetings, Incentive, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) and leisure sector, among them conference and exhibitions organisers, business people and boards of tourism authorities.
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