Guest Experience Index shows Qatar hotel guests report finest experiences
Qatar’s hospitality sector continues to win accolades, ranked best in the Middle East for a second consecutive year, according to the Guest Experience in the Middle East Report, released by hospitality and travel data providers Olery.
The report analyzed over twelve million online guest reviews over the past 12 months (1 April 2018 –31 March 2019) from popular online booking sites. Qatar’s score increased from 84.3 last year to 85.4. The development of new attractions, such as the recently opened Qatar National Museum, was credited with helping maintain the hospitality sector’s momentum.
The report measures overall guest satisfaction by considering different aspects of their tourist accommodation experience, including service, location, cleanliness, room quality, and value for money. In Qatar, service, cleanliness and location received ratings of 9.0, above the global benchmark in each of these categories. Qatar’s hospitality sector also scored higher in rooms (8.9), food (8.8) and facilities (8.4). According to the ‘guest type’ category, Qatar’s tourist accommodation was particularly popular among business travelers, families, and friends.
H.E. Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Secretary-General of Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) said: “Qatar’s hospitality sector remains a key engine of our tourism vision. We congratulate our partners in the private sector for their continued growth, and their focus on providing travellers with unparalleled hospitality and authentic experiences. The Olery report confirms that Qatar’s hospitality sector is best in class, and a model for the industry and the region.” He continued, “The Olery report and the guests who have stayed in Qatar’s hotels articulated the main selling points as attentive service, top notch facilities, and authentic experiences. These remain a priority as we continue to build diverse tourism and hospitality products and attract more guests to experience all that Qatar has to offer.”
The hotel classification system introduced by QNTC in 2016 plays a central role in establishing Qatar as a leading destination in terms of hospitality and quality. One of its major components is the Voice of the Guest, which classifies hotels through performance. Partnering with one of the world’s leading companies in guest sentiment analysis, QNTC uses a tool to obtain a sentiment score from over 100 guest review platforms. This commitment to travellers helps QNTC and its partners in the hospitality sector evolve new products and experiences.
For media-related inquiries, please contact QNTC’s Press Office on:
+974 4499 7882 or +974 3392 4466 | pressoffice@visitqatar.qa
About Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC)
Qatar National Tourism Council’s mission is to firmly establish Qatar on the global map as a place where cultural authenticity meets modernity, and where people of the world come together to experience unique offerings in culture, sports, business and family entertainment.
QNTC’s work is guided by the Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy (QNTSS), which seeks to diversify the country’s tourism offering and increase the sector’s contribution to Qatar’s economy by 2030. In 2017, the Next Chapter of QNTSS was launched, charting the next five years (2018-2023) of the tourism sector’s growth.
In 2018, QNTC launched a global destination campaign under the tagline 'Qatar, Qurated for you.' Curating requires professional or expert knowledge to select, organise and present unique experiences. As such, the Qurated campaign plays on the word's definition and the destination brand's iconic Q to underscore the country's focus on delivering tailored visitor-centric experiences.
Since launching QNTSS, Qatar has welcomed over 12 million visitors. The economic impact of the tourism sector in Qatar is becoming increasingly visible with 2017 estimates showing a total (direct and indirect) contribution to Qatar’s GDP of 6.6%. www.visitqatar.qa
