Event Preview: Qatar Hospitality Summit

Hotelier Middle East finds out what key trends need to be addressed and discussed at the Qatar Hospitality Summit and how the industry is progressing amid major developments in the country

SPEAKERS
Christopher Hewett
Senior consultant, TRI Consulting

Safak Guvenc
Area manager Qatar and general manager, W Doha Hotel & Residences

Rabih Feghali
Director of business development, Ròya International

Christoph K. Franzen
General manager, Grand Hyatt Doha

Pascal Eggerstedt
General manager, InterContinental Doha The City & InterContinental Residence Suites Doha The City

Coen Masselink
General manager, Shangri-La Hotel Doha

Tareq Derbas
General manager, St. Regis Doha

Rami Sayess
Regional vice president & general manager, Four Seasons Hotel Doha

Noha Belhaj
Marketing manager, Grand Hyatt Doha

The Hotelier Middle East Qatar Hospitality Summit is back on April 22, 2015 at Grand Hyatt Doha, providing a forum for general managers and department heads to discuss the state of the industry and focus on key operational challenges and opportunities. Ahead of the event, Hotelier shares its list of expert speakers and the topics that will be up for discussion.

PANEL DISCUSSIONS:
DESTINATION QATAR
A year on from the launch of the Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030, Doha’s hospitality sector is seeing marked results from the authority and its partners’ efforts to promote Destination Qatar. What can the hospitality market expect next and how can it support the QTA and its partners to help the sector flourish?

IS INCREASED COMPETITION HEALTHY?
With new hotel openings and more groups making plans to enter the market, the existing cream of the crop have been challenged to up their games. Increased supply and competition will hopefully, in the long run, improve the market as a whole, but how can the destination adapt to this increased supply, and how can existing hotels raise their standards?

SOCIAL MEDIA: A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY
An unsatisfied customer can quickly transform into a whirlwind of negative reviews, resulting in a poor online reputation and dwindling occupancy levels. However, social media can also present a golden opportunity for hoteliers to connect with customers. Can using social media correctly, ultimately help to develop a platform
for brand growth and development?

SUSTAINABILITY & RESPONSIBILITY TO THE ENVIRONMENT
The hospitality sector makes a significant impact on the environment through energy and water consumption, use of consumable products, and waste. With the Middle East’s hotels increasing sustainable practices at three times the rate of any other global destination, how do Doha properties fare in their efforts?

CAPITALISING ON GROWING MICE SECTOR
With increasing conference and banqueting demand, there is an opportunity for the hospitality industry to diversify business and create an additional and profitable revenue stream in the MICE and banqueting sector. How can hotels capitalise on the increased demand in this sector, while contributing to building a reputation for Qatar as the international MICE location of choice?

DEVELOPING A WORLD-CLASS TEAM
Understanding how to cultivate, inspire, maintain and retain great people is the single most important aspect of running a successful hotel. In such a competitive and rapidly growing market, how easy is it for Qatar’s hoteliers to source, develop and retain such dedicated employees in order to build a world-class team?

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
Event: Hotelier Middle East Qatar Hospitality Summit
Date: April 22, 2015
Venue: Grand Hyatt Doha
Format: One-day event with keynote addresses, debates and discussions, workshops and networking opportunities.
Attendance: By invitation only based on designation and free to hotel GMs and hotel department heads. To request an invite, please contact Amanda.Elisha@itp.com or call +971 4 444 3463.
Sponsorship opportunities: For more information contact Stephen.Price@itp.com or call +971 4 444 3246