More than 30 organizations, businesses and entrepreneurs that have played a part in helping Qatar’s tourism industry to achieve unprecedented levels of success were honored on October 27 at the 2024 edition of the Qatar Tourism Awards.
Now in its second year, the awards took place at the Raffles Doha Ballroom in a celebratory ceremony that recognized recipients across seven categories.
The ceremony was attended by HE Saad Bin Ali Al Kharji, chairman of Qatar Tourism and chair of the Board of Directors of Visit Qatar, who opened the event with a keynote speech. Other high-profile representatives present included Natalia Bayona, executive director of UN Tourism, and Basma Al- Mayman, UN Tourism regional director, Middle East.
Celebrating remarkable contributions
Developed in partnership with the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), the Qatar Tourism Awards were created to celebrate and recognize the remarkable contributions made by businesses and individuals that aspire to exemplify service excellence in customer service delivery. The award is designed to recognize all industry participants who directly, or indirectly, deliver experiences to visitors, while emulating exceptional initiatives characterized by uniqueness, sustainability, accessibility and high-quality service.
Higher applicant numbers
In his opening remarks, and after welcoming attendees, Al Kharji highlighted the growing interest that the Qatar Tourism Awards were generating, as evidenced by the high number of applicants.
“We are gathered for the second edition of the Qatar Tourism Awards to celebrate the outstanding contributions of businesses and individuals in creating exceptional tourism experiences,” he told guests. “We evaluated over 1,200 applicants, reflecting the growing interest from the public to participate in such prestigious awards.”
Al Kharji added that the Qatar Tourism Awards had become a benchmark of excellence, highlighting the best offerings, services, innovations and achievements in the tourism sector. He thanked the panel of judges for their work, noting the transparency, objectivity and accuracy they displayed during the evaluation process. In his closing remarks, he also encouraged tourism professionals to apply for the next edition of the awards, noting the many advantages that the initiative offered, which include full access to the Winners Alumni Network.
In addition, Al Kharji highlighted the relevance of the awards to Qatar Tourism’s broader strategic target of making the country one of the region’s fastest growing destinations, pointing out that service excellence is a core priority within these plans.
New categories added
The Qatar Tourism Awards featured four new categories this year, in a bid to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive representation of the visitor experience.
The seven categories for 2024 consisted of: Service Excellence; Gastronomic Experiences; Iconic Attractions and Activities; World-Class Events; Digital Footprint; Smart and Sustainable Tourism; and Community Leadership. A new Tourism Influencer Award was added to the Digital Footprint category to celebrate the talented content creators who have brilliantly showcased Qatar’s vibrant culture and unique experiences to the world.
Winners were selected by a distinguished panel of judges, who meticulously evaluated the businesses and individuals excelling in each category.
