Special line-up of entertainment & fashion-forward events await shoppers this winter
From now until 20 January, shop and win prizes worth 3 Million QAR
The third edition of Shop Qatar was officially opened last Thursday at an event attended by several VIPs including Ministers, foreign diplomats, government officials and private sector leaders along with the festival’s host and partner organisations. The glitzy event held at Msheireb Museums' Company House in the heart of Doha featured a fashion show showcasing latest fashion trends and live music performances, giving attendees glimpses of what is to come over the next month.
This year’s edition of the Festival is bigger and running longer to include all of the winter season's most exciting events and festivities. Shop Qatar kicked off with the first National Day Trade Festival between 15-20 December, and will extend with special retail, hospitality and entertainment across Qatar until Sunday, 20 January 2019.
Rashid Al Qurese from National Tourism Council (NTC) commented, “This year, Shop Qatar is taking place during a very special season of the year for visitors and residents alike. The Festival's content and offerings are reviewed and renewed annually to ensure our audience segments are getting curated experiences that are authentic and respond to their different needs." He added, "We thank our partners across public and private sectors for their continuing support in making this festival a success and hope to see it grow even bigger in the years to come.”
Ali Al Kuwari, Acting CEO at Msheireb Properties commented, “We are honored to collaborate with NTC on this very special occasion. We share important common values in promoting Qatar, its culture, history and heritage. We are very happy to host the Gala Dinner for Shop Qatar. Such events complement our efforts in reviving the old city center of Msheireb Downtown to make it once again the social and commercial hotspot that it once was.”
Shop Qatar offers residents and visitors special curated experiences as it bundles retail and entertainment offerings as well as unbeatable deals at over 55 participating hotels across the country, timed around winter break including QND and other festivals for residents and visitors to fully enjoy the season’s festivities.
Mashal Shahbik from NTC commented, "In each new edition of the festivals and tourism events NTC organises along with public and private sector partners, we are always keen to provide exciting platforms for local entrepreneurs and home-grown talent to meet and grow their audiences." She added, "we're particularly excited to see this edition grow with new firsts such as the Shop Qatar Design District and an all-new mobile application."
In addition to offering shoppers a chance to win cash and car prizes worth 3 million QAR, the annual festival will feature the Shop Qatar Design District for the first time this year. Hosted at the DECC between 5-12 January, the District will be a global hub for fashion-forward events and live entertainment all under one roof. In another first, festival organisers have launched a free Shop Qatar mobile application to bring all the festival's events and activities straight to everyone's fingertips.
Shop & Win
Between 20 December and 20 January, bargain hunters will enjoy discounts on international brands including clothes, electronics, cosmetics and accessories for men, women and children with a chance to win cash and car prizes worth 3 million QAR. There will be exclusive in-mall entertainment and roaming shows, and fun for the whole
family throughout the month.
Shoppers who spend QAR 200 at any of the 14 participating retailers can enter the weekly draws that will be held on the first three Thursdays of the Festival (27 December 2018, 3 & 10 January 2019), with two cars and 7 cash prizes ranging from QAR 10,000 to QAR 100,000 to be won each week. The final draw will take place at the closing ceremony on Sunday, 20 January 2019.
The festival's 14 participating retail partners are Al Mirqab Mall, AlKhor Mall, City Centre, Dar Al Salam Mall, Doha Festival City, Gulf Mall, Hyatt Plaza, Lagoona Mall, Landmark Mall, Mall of Qatar, Royal Plaza, Tawar Mall, The Gate Mall & The Pearl-Qatar.
Shop Qatar Design District
Held at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC), the District brings a colorful showcase of pop-up shops, cafes, and more than 20 fashion shows and masterclasses along with a busy schedule of live entertainment - all under one roof between the 5th and 12th of January 2019. Between 3 pm and 10 pm each day, fashion enthusiasts will find world-renowned designers from Paris to Mumbai showcasing their latest Spring/ Summer collections and online-famous make-up artists offering beauty 12 masterclasses and workshops and so much more.
While most fashion shows are free, seats will be made available on a first-register-first-serve basis; those looking for front-row seats can also buy tickets for some of the shows. Registration can be done through the Shop Qatar mobile app or at the District's registration desk.
Shop Qatar Mobile App
The all-new “Shop Qatar” mobile application provides users with the latest updates on Shop Qatar's activities happening across malls, hotels, as well as the Shop Qatar Design District. Tickets for music concerts and masterclasses will also be sold through the app. It is available on both Android and iOS app stores and has both English and Arabic user interfaces.
Hospitality
More than 55 hotels across Qatar will have special offers throughout Shop Qatar. The offers include discounted room nights, promotions at F&B outlets and health club services as well as free airport transfers.
Authentic Experiences
Shop Qatar has renewed its partnership with Embrace Doha to lead shopping tours at Souq Waqif. Individuals interested in learning how to find their way through the traditional marketplace can join 2-hour long tours starting at 4 pm on Saturday 22, 29 December & 5 January guiding groups through the Souq, stopping along the way to sample and learn about spices, incense, traditional food, art and clothes. Tour prices are 200 QAR per individual (100 for children above 10) and registration can be done by calling 66725272.
Music Concerts
In addition to the fashion-focused events, the final week of Shop Qatar 2019 will see a host of live music concerts featuring Indian singer Arjit Singh, Pakistani band Strings and singers Ali Sethi and Quratulain Baloch. Tickets range from 100 to ,250 QAR and are already on sale on QTickets
Beyond the Malls
In parallel to Shop Qatar's events and activations, there will be numerous other festivities taking place around Qatar. They include the Souq Waqif Spring Festival & Souq Waqif AlWakra Spring Festival; Torba Farmer's Market at Qatar Foundation's Ceremonial Court on weekends; the Night Market at Duhail Sports Club daily from 4:00 pm to 1:00 am and the Tegahwa coffee event at Al Hazm happening daily daily until 19 January 2019. Entertainment World Village will reopen its doors to the public and Local Arabic play Compars will take to the Qatar National Theatre stage on Saturday, 5 January 2019.
Follow Shop Qatar Online
To find out more, visit www.shopqatar.qa and follow the dedicated Shop Qatar social media accounts on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
For further information, please contact NTC’s Press Office on:
+974 4499 7882 or +974 3392 4466 | pressoffice@visitqatar.qa
About Shop Qatar
Shop Qatar is a month-long festival that celebrates the country’s diverse retail offerings. Held during the winter, the Festival invites residents and visitors to enjoy special experiences at malls, bazaars and in scenic outdoor spaces.
The Festival forms a part of NTC’s strategy to grow and diversify the country’s tourism offering, particularly in the area of family and urban entertainment. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of partners in both the public and private sector, residents and visitors can benefit from special travel, accommodation and retail offers throughout the country.
The first two editions of Shop Qatar, held in 2017 and 2018, contributed an estimated 1.06 and 1.5 billion QAR respectively, to the local economy. #ShopQatar
Find Shop Qatar online
Facebook: QatarCalendar | Instagram: @QatarCalendar | Twitter: @QatarCalendar
About National Tourism Council (NTC)
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.
The NTC’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, NTC 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 10 million visitors. The economic impact of the tourism sector in Qatar is becoming increasingly visible with 2016 estimates showing a total (direct and indirect) contribution to Qatar’s GDP of 6.7%. www.visitqatar.qa
