GLOBAL UPDATE : DEVELOPMENT
Qatar booms
The Ms heir ireb
Dow ntow own Doha pro roje ject is putt ttin ing oi l- ri ch Qat ar on the to ur ism map .
By Jeff f Wein inst ste tein
, edito itor ri in nc hie f
A rendering of the 80-acre ( 32-hectare ) Msheireb Downtown project
In the Middle East today , Qatar is grabbing many hotel development headlines — similar to Dubai a few years back , but on a smaller scale .
More than US $ 100 billion worth of infrastructure is set to be in place by 2022 when the FIFA World Cup takes place , and that includes 77 hotels , 42 aparthotels and a new airport in Doha scheduled to open this year .
In 2011 , an estimated 6,369 guestrooms came online in Qatar — predominantly in the largest city , Doha . At the same time , occupancy rates have remained stable , reflecting the ongoing interest in the destination . In December , MKG Consulting reported occupancy in Doha was standing at 67.3 % with an average rate of US $ 220 and RevPAR of US $ 148 .
Marriott International recently opened the Doha City Center complex , including the 257-room Renaissance Doha City Center Hotel , 204-room
Courtyard by Marriott Doha City Center and 123-unit Marriott Executive Apartments Doha City Center . Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide just opened a St . Regis in Doha , while additional hotels are opening this year from Rotana , Kempinski , Hilton and IHG , among others .
More recently , The Rezidor Hotel Group announced a new Hotel Missoni development set to open in Doha in late 2015 , as well as a conversion for its Radisson Blu brand scheduled for the third quarter of this year .
Perhaps the most ambitious project is the 80-acre ( 32-hectare ) Msheireb Downtown Doha that will open in phases between 2014 and 2016 . Some 500 LEED Gold-certified businesses will open within the “ city within a city .”
Msheireb Hospitality , led by CEO Abdul Aziz Al Emadi , to date has approved hotel projects from Mandarin
Oriental , MGallery by Accor , Park Hyatt and Hyatt Place . “ The new architecture language that is specially developed for Msheireb buildings and the Qatari touch will differentiate our hotels from others in town and abroad ,” Abdul Aziz says .
Abdul Aziz notes that the strength of the Msheireb project is in its uniqueness offering the best of Qatar in one location . “ Our selective approach to provide world-class hospitality services , from the brands to the varieties of integrated hospitality services , will make visiting Msheireb very exciting for residents of the country and tourists alike ,” he says . Abdul Aziz adds that his group is involved with several other hospitality projects in Education City ( including a 200-room Premier Inn ) and in other parts of the country . “ We will announce our projects frequently to the public during the next year ,” he says .
16 HOTELS March 2012 www . hotelsmag . com