St. Regis Doha targets Chinese tourism

Senior executives from the St. Regis Doha took part in a major tourism push in the People’s Republic of China this week, as leading luxury properties in the Middle East look to attract tourists from one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.

China is projected to be the world’s 4th largest outbound market by 2020, with 57.39 million outbound trips made in 2010, according to statistics from the World Trade Organisation.

As the country’s economy continues to grow, the number of tourists seeking upscale, bespoke service in attractive locations is also set to rise, which is where St. Regis Doha sees an important opportunity.

GM, Tareq Derbas, took part in a larger delegation to Shanghai this week to promote Doha as an up-and-coming global destination and St. Regis Doha as the ideal vantage point for travellers seeking luxury and bespoke service.

“The global hospitality industry sees China as an exciting emerging market, where tastes are changing and an increasing number of travellers are seeking new and unique experiences,” he said.

“There is already strong interest in visiting Qatar and we believe that we can leverage the history and heritage of the St. Regis brand to attract a distinct new audience to Qatar in the future.”

Set to open later in 2011, the St. Regis Doha is promoting its brand’s history, which dates back more than 100 years to the grand opening of The St. Regis New York by the Astor family.