HE Sultan bin Rashid Al-Khater, Undersecretary of Ministry of Commerce and Industry, inaugurated Hospitality Qatar 2021, alongside a crowd of local and international VIP’s, including ambassadors of the participating countries and heads of international delegations. Taking part in the opening ceremony, H.E Alessandro Prunas, Ambassador of Italy to Doha, hailed the return of the event, and the significance it represents for the Italian companies. “This year’s edition is particularly important because it will allow manufacturers and suppliers to reconnect their business to the Qatari market. The hospitality market in Qatar is a major interest for Italian producers as reflected in the Italian pavilion which is one of the biggest in the event”, said Prunas. Held in strategic partnership with Qatar Tourism from 8 to 11 November at DECC, the country’s most exclusive and longest-running international hospitality, tourism and HORECA trade show, commenced its 6th edition with a successful and engaging first day, gathering more than 170 HORECA, tourism and F&B suppliers and service providers, from more than 30 different countries to investors, and industry leaders in Qatar to explore potential investment opportunities in the Qatari hospitality and tourism market.Commenting on this partnership, Christoph Hodapp, from Qatar Tourism said: “Qatar Tourism recently launched its new international promotional campaign.  The largest such campaign in the entity’s history, this aims to drive forward the country's tourism goals as it works towards welcoming more than six million visitors a year by 2030. Trade exhibitions such as Hospitality Qatar support sector development by introducing international expertise and showcasing our business events ecosystem. As an important subsector of tourism, it helps drive awareness and investment, and at Qatar Tourism we are very glad to extend our support to MICE organizers and operators.”With five successful editions, Hospitality Qatar has been a major driver in the country’s tourism and hospitality sector and plays a key role in supporting the diversification of the economy. Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2022, the hospitality and tourism sector are expected to further stimulate economic activities and open new windows of opportunities to bolster the market, which is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12.1% from 2019 to 2022 to reach USD 1.4 billion.Over the years, the event expanded its platform and activities to cater to the increasing demands of the local and international industry. The succeeding days are lined up with conferences, exhibitions, training program, specialized HORECA competitions and a business-to-business matchmaking program for industry players to market their products and services to potential buyers, investors, and business owners.In conjunction with the main event and in partnership with Qatar Tourism, the first day kicked off with the ‘Countdown Begins’ conference. The multi-themed conference focuses on the tourism, hospitality, and F&B sectors and serves as a platform for industry key players and policymakers to exchange new insights and discuss recent developments in the industry.Mohamed Al Mahmeed, Head of Tourism Investment Promotion Section at Qatar Tourism officially opened the first day with a keynote speech addressing Qatar’s tourism and hospitality sector’s readiness to welcome fans for the FIFA 2022 World Cup.  He highlighted new products and services catering to visitors, assuring guests an unforgettable experience. Denisa Spinkova, Leading Service Excellence at Qatar Tourism, provided an overview of Qatar Tourism’s strategy going forward, from its approach to increasing visitor arrivals and spend, as well as infrastructure developments, particularly in hospitality.  These new products are rooted in Service Excellence, ensuring a seamless visitor experience across each touchpoint. In addition, Spinkova provided an overview of the country’s new promotional campaign, and its execution across platforms.  Further, the opening sessions of the conference featured presentations and discussions on significant industry topics including ‘The Experience Starts from your Home Country: An Unforgettable Travel’ by Qatar Airways, ’Hamad International Airport Strategy to Increase Customer Capacity’ by HIA, and ‘Integrating Brand Standards within the Local Context for Exceptional Design’ by Katara Hospitality. Meanwhile, the Certified Training Program is back to provide industry professionals with the necessary training and knowledge for free. HQ equips hospitality sector practitioners with knowledge on various topics such as customer service, food safety and hygiene, and best industry practices, among others. The first day also witnessed the start of the barista training sponsored and organized by Corona International Company. Café workers in Doha will enjoy a free training in the first two days with an international barista competition to be held in the remaining days. International experts recruited from outside Qatar are expected to join the competition. The “Destination Pavilion”, sponsored by Qatar Airways, is open to visitors and participants. First launched in 2019, the pavilion serves as a designated platform for participating countries, international tourism promotion boards and travel agencies to introduce their tourist attractions, programs and promote their country as an ideal travel destination. Other activities to look forward in the four-day major event include live cooking shows, Qatar Restaurant’s Choice Awards and the Food Tech Talks by talabat, and the Food Safety and Qatar Clean trainings by Boecker. Commenting on the first day’s outcome, Haider Mshaimesh, General Manager, IFP Qatar said: “We are excited to commence the industry’s longest-running trade exhibition, which has been missed for two years. Despite the disruption, we are enthralled to witness the incredible turnout on the first day. The succeeding days will have more insightful discussions, interactive activities, and exhibition, as well as potential collaborations that could open ways to move forward in the industry. We are confident that this edition will reflect, if not exceed, the success of the previous years.”Hospitality Qatar 2021 seeks to mirror the success of its previous edition which has recorded a total of more than 11,000 visitors.