Qatar outlines accommodation options for FIFA World Cup 2022

Qatar’s 2022 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC 2022) and the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) held an accommodation concept workshop in collaboration with Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) at Al Bidda Tower, Doha, recently. The workshop saw 40 hoteliers representing global, regional as well as local hotel brands come together to discuss accommodation options and opportunities for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar.

Representatives from hotel groups that have properties under construction or currently in operation in Qatar attended the workshop, including Hilton Group, Marriott, Mandarin Oriental, Taj Group, AccorHotels, Hyatt, Langham, Millennium Hotels, Retaj Group, Mondrian and Katara Hospitality Group, to name a few. Also in attendance were LOC 2022 deputy CEO Nasser Al-Khater,and SC assistant secretary general, tournament affairs, as well as senior representatives from QTA.

The aim of the workshop was to brief hoteliers on the World Cup accommodation infrastructure required for a variety of user groups, including FIFA officials and team base camp hotels for participating teams, referees, media and broadcasters. The workshop also outlined the roles and responsibilities of hotels providing permanent inventory for the tournament, temporary accommodation options and workforce requirements in the months leading up to and during the tournament.

“Today was an opportunity for us to demonstrate our operational preparations to local, regional and international hotel brands and reinforce that the LOC, SC and FIFA will do everything we can to ensure we collectively deliver all that is necessary to host the best World Cup yet. Today proved very constructive for all involved," Al-Khater said.

He continued: “At the heart of this World Cup is a commitment to showcase the hospitality and friendship of the Middle East. As a result, we are actively researching a range of concepts to ensure any fan traveling here in 2022 has a variety of options from which they can choose. Whether they want a five or three star hotel, a room on a cruise ship or a Bedouin-style tent for camping under the stars, fans will be offered some truly unique options.”

In addition to hotels, LOC 2022, QTA and the SC, the organisation responsible for delivering the infrastructure required to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, have already confirmed that they are looking into a range of accommodation options to ensure travelling fans have a broad choice, with temporarily moored cruise ships located at Doha Port, temporary campsites in the desert, and a short-term letting system with an operating model similar to AirBnB, among the options being considered.

QTA chief tourism development officer Hassan Al Ibrahim, added: “Tourist accommodation and hospitality are both a key component of staging a successful World Cup and a main pillar of the tourism industry. We are working closely with our stakeholders in the hospitality sector to ensure that they are fully prepared to support in the delivery of an exceptional tournament. And, through our partnership with the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, we are embedding long-term sustainability into the sector’s development plans to guarantee a thriving tourism industry through and beyond 2022.”

The Qatar 2022 LOC assumed its responsibilities in 2010 immediately after Qatar won the rights to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It focuses on operational planning, tournament preparedness and coordinating with FIFA on all competition-related matters.The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) ensures that all preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup align with Qatar’s other development imperatives, as described in Qatar National Vision 2030. The SC is tasked with delivering stadia and other infrastructure in Qatar as well as incubating the Josoor Institute, a centre of excellence for the sports and events industries in the Middle East.