QATAR NATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE BOOSTS QATAR AS GLOBAL BUSINESS DESTINATION
The newly opened Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC), a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, is fast transforming Qatar’s meetings and events industry to be a global premier business destination.
Already, the Centre has hosted a number of high-profile events, and to date, 52 events with more than 30,000 visitors have been hosted at the Centre. The estimated delegate spend from overseas visitors is over QR 41 million (US11.2 million).
This year, the Centre will play host to a number of prestigious international events including the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XIII) from 21 to 26 April and the 25th Universal Postal Congress (UPU) in September and October 2012.
The upcoming quadrennial UNCTAD XIII is expected to attract a minimum of 4,000 delegates from all over the world including high profile political figures from the Arab region and ministers and dignitaries from the European Union. This is the first time the conference will have been hosted in the region and it will be preceded by a series of events, among which are the third World Investment Forum, Civil Society Forum and Global Services Forum to be attended by global corporations, non-governmental organizations and government officials.
Trevor McCartney, Director of Business Development of QNCC is proud to announce that QNCC earned the honour to host one of the largest and most high-profile conferences in the world, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 18) from 26 November to 7 December. He said, “This is a challenging event but at the same time, it poses a great opportunity for QNCC to take centre stage in showcasing its capabilities and flexibility as the host venue. The success of this event will put us in a superior position to attract many more large conferences and exhibitions to the country.”
Trevor added, “QNCC was built as part of Qatar Foundation’s strategies, in line with Qatar’s national vision of transforming the country into a knowledge-based economy. Naturally, our key target market is the association market specifically knowledge-based conferences and exhibitions from the MENA region. We recently concluded a familiarization trip for a group of potential association clients and received very positive feedback.”
According to Qatar Tourism Authority, the country recorded a massive jump in the number of visitors in 2011. The number of visitors from the Gulf region soared to 50% compared to the previous year and an increase of 12% for the international visitors. Business tourism accounted for 72% of the number of visitors received by Qatar last year. The country was recently voted the World’s Leading Business Travel Destination at the 2012 World Travel Awards, which affirms Qatar’s position as a major global player in the Business Tourism industry.
About Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC)
In support of Qatar’s transformation to a knowledge-based economy, Qatar Foundation (QF) has made significant achievements in building and developing capacity for creativity and critical thinking through research in education and science. As a member of Qatar Foundation, QNCC advances these objectives as the new global hub for ideas and innovation.
QNCC was designed by renowned Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, who took inspiration from Qatar’s beloved icon, the Sidra tree. The spectacular façade resembles two intertwined trees reaching up to support the exterior canopy. The tree is a beacon of learning and comfort in the desert and a haven for poets and scholars who gathered beneath its branches to share knowledge.
QNCC was conceived with a focus on sustainability. The Centre was successfully built according to gold certification standards on Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED), endorsed by the U.S. Green Building Council. The building is designed to operate efficiently with innovations such as water conservation and energy-efficient fixtures.
