development > tag this

Building for

the affluent
By Sindhu Nair

Katara Hospitality is always in the news for its iconic buys and
awe-inspiring projects outside the Middle East, but the company
has no plans to ignore the tourism sector in the country.

ourism contributed 0.8%

to the countrys GDP in
2012 and the Qatar Tourism Strategy aims at increasing this to around
3.1% in 2030. The main
components of the tourism strategy are to develop
the brand Destination Qatar, enhance
visa procedures and promote and activate
investments in tourism. While Qatar Airways, Qatar Tourism Authority and Qatar
2022 Supreme Committee are involved in
the development of the brand, investment
in tourism also falls on Katara Hospitality
which came recently into the news for a
big buy the legendary Savoy in London.
Katara Hospitality Co. bought a 50% stake
from Lloyds Banking Group and Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed Bin Talals Kingdom Holding Co.
Another emerging bit of news, not yet
confirmed by the owners, is that Katara
Hospitality is going to build a new conference/exposition centre that is meant to reflect the countrys rich seafaring and pearl
diving history. The $1.6 billion (QR5.8 billion) Silver Pearl Hotel project will feature
two semicircular 30-storey towers connected through a climate-controlled.
Hamad Abdulla Al Mulla, CEO and Board
Member of Katara Hospitality, speaks exclusively to Qatar Today on Katara Hospitalitys long-term vision, its strategy to help
build Qatars tourism strategy as it spreads

its wings and business around the globe.

Originally called Qatar National Hotels
Company, it was rebranded as Katara Hospitality in 2012 with a new wave of expansion. Under this new corporate identity,
we set ourselves the mission of becoming
one of the worlds leading hospitality organisations and put ambitious growth targets in place to ensure we achieve this, says
Al Mulla.
With 30 properties already in our portfolio, we have already achieved our goal of
30 properties by 2016 two years ahead of
schedule. Moreover, we already have the
plans in place to double that figure to 60
ahead of 2030.
Al-Mulla stresses that the company has
a two-pronged approach: to maintain its
position as a market leader in the local hospitality industry by developing world-class
hotels here and focus on an international
expansion strategy by investing in a collection of spectacular hotels in some of the
worlds leading tourist destinations.
Our expansion strategy is not limited
to any one market or country. Qatar is our
homeland and we intend to maintain our
position as market leaders in the local hospitality industry. Currently, we have ten
iconic Qatari properties in our portfolio
and are always on the lookout for unique
heritage properties that have set the standard in the industry, he says. Katara Hospitality (KH) has a portfolio as operators,
developers and asset managers in various

LANDMARKS
The newly renovated Sheraton,
Doha's oldest and most iconic
landmarks (adjacent page); and an
artistic representation of Katara
Towers, being built at the Lusail
Marina District; both properties
owned by Katara Hospitality.

development > tag this

OF AWARDS
AND RECOGNITION
"Katara Hospitalitys contributions to
the hospitality landscape have been
recognised on a global scale and we have
won a number of noteworthy awards. Just
recently, Katara Hospitality was named
the Worlds Leading Hospitality Company
at the 2014 World Travel Awards for the
second year running. This capped off
previous recognition at the World Travel
Awards, which named Katara Hospitality
the Middle Easts Leading Hospitality
Development Company in May 2014 and
the Worlds Leading Hospitality Company
in December 2013."

Hamad Abdulla Al Mulla

CEO and Board Member
Katara Hospitality

markets. What this entails, according to

Al Mulla, is that, Our primary business is
that of an asset manager and we invest in
renowned properties and key international
markets across the globe. Many hotels under our portfolio have been developed by
Katara Hospitality from the project stage
to becoming a valuable asset, while most
of our international acquired properties
are currently undergoing major renovation
works under our direct supervision.
We are also expanding the operator
side of our business and currently manage properties in Doha and Switzerland.
Recently re-launched, the Murwab Hotels
brand is our stand-alone operations arm
in Qatar, which is a core focus area for our
organisation with five hotels currently under development in Qatar and expected to
open through 2015. We also have a successful brand in The Brgenstock Selection to
manage our five iconic properties in Switzerland: The Schweizerhof Bern (operational since 2013), Royal Savoy Lausanne
(expected to open in June 2015), and three
hotels within The Brgenstock Resort Lake
Lucerne (expected to open in 2018)."
Of things to come
In Qatar, KH has a large portfolio of iconic
projects lined up. Al Mulla talks about the
most innovative of the projects.
We are currently building the iconic
Katara Towers in Dohas up-and-coming
Lusail Marina District. An architectural
translation of Qatars country seal, the hospitality complex will host a five-star luxury hotel, a five-star ultra-luxury hotel and
branded apartments. The property, expected to open in 2017, will also offer facilities
such as a man-made satellite beach-front
island. Katara Towers will be home to an
incredible mix of leisure and water sports

68 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

facilities, food and beverage outlets as well

as world-class water features within a stunning, sun-protected garden environment,
he says. KH is also undertaking the complete transformation of the Brgenstock
Resort Lake Lucerne in Switzerland, an
impressive hospitality complex consisting
of a five-star hotel, a four-star hotel, a medical hotel, a 2000 square meter spa facility
and two residence buildings.
Initially opened in 1873, the resort has
been the favourite hideaway for many international personalities who marveled
at the technical wonders of the funicular
railway and the Hammetschwand, Europes
tallest outdoor lift. Another project is the
development of the Tazi Palace in Tangier, Morocco. The building was originally designed to become a royal residence,
and after a meticulous renovation by KH,
it will be revolutionised into a luxurious
palace hotel.
Build it and will they come?
Qatar has a plethora of luxurious four- and
five-star properties but with the Qatar 2022
World Cup fast approaching, will the affordable hospitality segment be compromised?
How will QTA and also KH fill this gap?
Al Mulla feels that the company follows
a healthy diversification strategy with the
aim of creating a network of five- and fourstar business hotels and leisure resorts.
Currently, the properties owned and managed by Katara Hospitality in Qatar form an
eclectic portfolio of hotels that cover a large
area of demand, from high-end business
travellers to more cost-conscious ones,
while catering successfully to the MICE
segment and offering outstanding recreational facilities, he says.
But having kept the focus on the high-income traveler, KH also aims at looking

down at other pressing needs of the new

middle income, high disposable income
category. We realise that there has been an
increase in more cost-conscious travellers
and are prepared for this rising trend ahead
of the World Cup 2022.
We are diversifying our offer under the
four- and three-star hotel segment to satisfy a wide range of tourist requirements.
This will not only further strengthen our
position as Qatars leading hospitality organisation but also enhance cash flow projections to support the companys future
growth by ensuring a balance is met across
assets of short- and long- term profitability, he says.
Diversification, agrees Al Mulla, as emphasised in Qatar National Vision 2030, is
crucial for the local hospitality industry.
This has been especially true in the last
few years as we have witnessed a rise in
more cost-conscious travellers looking for
budget accommodation options.
Offering a winning combination of
world-class facilities and rich cultural heritage, Qatar is quickly becoming one of the
worlds most popular tourist destinations,
feels Al Mulla. More and more tourists
visit our country every year and this trend
is only going to grow as we get closer to the
FIFA World Cup in 2022.
But it cannot be ignored that as KH develops iconic, legacy hotels across the globe,
it is becoming increasingly recognised as a
Qatari organisation bringing period heritage properties up to a world-class, modern
standard in key international destinations,
thereby introducing Brand Qatar to a global if luxurious client portfolio.
Coastline development
While the West Bay is where the business
community permeates the extensive coast-

line, a natural wealth for the country is

being ignored and not completely developed. Al Mulla feels that KH has being doing enough and will continue to do so. We
have been the leader in coastline developments in Qatar ever since the Sealine Beach
Resort opened in 1994.
We are currently in the process of refurbishment and extension of additional villas
and upgraded facilities at the resort. Additionally, an agreement has been recently
signed to manage a resort in Simaisima, a
short drive away from Lusail City. This resort will be branded and operated by our
own home-grown operating arm, Murwab."
But even with such developments, can
Qatar be compared with Dubai, the regional competitor which attracts most of the
travellers coming to the region?
Al Mulla feels that more and more tourists are visiting Qatar every year, charmed
by our diverse hospitality attractions and
leisure offering. Doha has already developed into a multi-faceted destination for
global travellers offering cultural, historical, shopping and sporting attractions, and
an increasingly wide range of leisure facilities.
We intend to maintain our position by
developing world-class hospitality complexes in Qatar that are relevant not only
for our portfolio, but emblematic for the
country as well, he says.

Properties owned by Katara

Hospitality: The Peninsula,
Paris; Excelsior Hotel Gallia,
Milan; the Brgenstock Resort
Lake Lucerne, Switzerland; and
Schweizerhof Hotel, Bern.

THE LEADER I EMULATE:

AL MULLA
When HE Sheikh Nawaf bin Jassim
Bin Jabor Al Thani, Chairman of
Katara Hospitality, joined the
company in 2003, not only did
he transform the organisation to
a world leader in the hospitality
industry, but he was also an
influential driver of Katara
Hospitalitys continued success
by setting us on the right path of
growth and development.
When Sheikh Nawaf took over the
helm of the organisation, I was
working at Doha Marriott Hotel as
a Deputy General Manager with
a career goal of becoming the
General Manager of a reputable
hotel. The inspiration I received
from Sheikh Nawaf steered me
into a completely new direction as
my aspirations grew. I recognise
and value his encouragement and
influence immensely."
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