SIX CONTINTENTS HOTELS IN MAJOR QATAR PROMOTION

Hotel Inter-Continental Doha announces plans for three-year Qatar media drive in Germany to begin this December

Qatar tourism authorities and their German counterparts begin a three-year drive to promote the Gulf state as a major destination in the Middle East this December.

The first step in the process began with a visit by Cologne-based, Rolf Schmelzer, of media company, Team 21, which is to co-ordinate the programme, according to the general manager of the Hotel Inter-Continental Doha, Johnny Fataleh. Six Continents Hotels’ Hotel Inter-Continental Doha – which earlier this year teamed up with Qatar Airways to promote the country as a tourism destination for business and leisure travelers to UK-based travel agents and tour operators - is once again to play a major role in the new initiative.

“The three-year drive is aimed at all tourism related media in Germany and begins in December with the announcement of important research findings undertaken by the German Arabic Tourism Organisation (GATO),” explained Fataleh.

Speaking from Germany after his visit, Rolf Schmelzer said Team 21 intended to attract more than 300 key German media representatives over 36 months.

“We will include magazines, major newspapers, television, radio and travel internet sites which gives Qatar a fantastic opportunity to put its case forward, both as a destination and as a gateway to the Middle East. An extended benefit will be reaching German speaking communities and expatriates based overseas where most of the targeted media and, of course, the internet sites reach,” he explained.

Apart from the 300-room Hotel Inter-Continental Doha, Six Continents Hotels is presently constructing the 136-room Holiday Inn Doha, as part of its expanding presence in the rapidly developing tourism market of Qatar.