Qatar Tourism officials with the award winners at the event.
Doha, Qatar: The inaugural Qatar Tourism Awards (QTA) was held yesterday at Raffles Doha, acknowledging the outstanding contributions of various organisations and individuals towards elevating the excellence and distinctiveness of the Qatar visitor experience.
QTA was launched by Qatar Tourism, in partnership with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). In his speech, Qatar Tourism Chairman, H E Saad Ali Al Kharji expressed gratitude to the devoted individuals and businesses that form the backbone of Qatar’s tourism industry.
“Qatar’s tourism sector has witnessed an extraordinary transformation, one that has successfully propelled our nation into the spotlight as a world-class tourist destination. The credit for this success goes to the devoted individuals and businesses that form the backbone of Qatar’s tourism industry.”
“Through initiatives such as the Qatar Tourism Awards, we aim to celebrate and recognise those who are committed to delivering outstanding and distinct tourism experiences in Qatar, while at the same time, inspiring the industry to continually innovate and raise the bar even higher.”
The focus of the Qatar Tourism Awards was on three main categories: Service Excellence, Cultural Experiences, and Smart Solutions. Awardees under Community Contribution Awards are: North Sedra Farm, Ain Mohammed Village, Al Kubaisi Educational Reserve, ENK Farm and Museum, Khalid Jamal Al Ajmi, and Khalid Bin Abdulla Al Binali.
The said category aimed to recognise individual community members who went above and beyond, displaying exceptional hospitality and providing exemplary services to visitors The Service Excellence category, with 15 subcategories, celebrated organisations committed to delivering services that consistently meet and exceed visitor expectations.
In restaurants – Casual Dining, winners are Em Sherif Café at Millenium Hotel Doha, Dalchini Restaurant and Bar at Centara West Bay Hotel and Residences Doha; Tourist Dining – SMAT Restaurant and Belhambar Restaurant, both from Aura Hospitality and Food Services; Cafés – Café 999, and MIA Café; Fine Dining – Em Sherif Restaurant from Aura Hospitality and Food Services, Parisa Al Messila Resort and Spa, and IDAM by Alain Ducasse; and in Hotel Restaurants category – The Master Kitchen Team at Mondrian Doha, Sharq Village and Spa, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel, and Riva and Q-Lounge at Banana Island Resort Doha. Spa and Wellness category winners are Banana Island Resort Doha, and Hilton Salwa Beach Resort and Villas, and meanwhile, Entertainment and Recreation category winners are Doha Quest and CurioCITY. Ali Bin Ali Holding Galeries Lafayette and IN-Q Gift Shop by Qatar Museums won under the Retail and Local Shops category; while Doha Festival City and Gate Mall won under Shopping Malls category. Tour operators winners are Regency Holidays and Fal Trav-elmart, Travel and Tours. Tour Guides winners are Alena Kish-maraia, Cecilia Castro, Pia Sundstedt, Ajith Wijenayaka Hewa Kokawalage. Moreover, individuals demonstrating outstanding service excellence were recognised.
Awardees included Moza Abdulaziz Al As aq, Hassan Attia, Wassim Daageh, and Bouthaina Al Emadi. In addition to individual achievements, QTA also acknowledged hotels across different star categories. The awardees included Jouri a Murwab Hotel, Radisson Blu Hotel Doha, Premier Inn Doha Education City, Premier Inn Doha Airport, Raffles Doha, Banana Island Resort Doha, Hilton Salwa Beach Resort and Villas, and Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som.
Under Cultural Experiences category, entities emphasising and delivering unique and memorable cultural experiences to visitors were awarded. Winners included United Development Company, The Pearl Island; Basta Restaurant, Chernovil Art Gallery, Embrace Doha, Oryx Group Entertainment and Hospitality, Regency Holidays, and Msheireb Properties. And, the Smart Solutions category, reflects an organisation’s commitment to enhancing visitor experiences through innovative products and solutions. Awardees are Qatar Rail, ViaVii, Doha Festival City, Mowasalat Karwa, and Msheireb Properties in the digital and innovation, sustainability, and visitor mobility and accessibility subcategories.
