English Bleisure
London continues to be the hub for business and leisure travel despite Brexit
The hospitality industry is costantly evolving to support its local economy and we o en see hotel trends re ect the economic demands of the surrounding tourism industry. Qatar’s National Vision 2030 is shaped by the vision of the people, projecting a future of sustainable development and high quality of life for generations to come. is vision incorporates four main pillars of sustainable development including human, social, economic and environmental.
Qatar’s tourism industry is expanding rapidly, with great attention to detail placed on the importance of looking ahead to the future while still being deeply rooted in culture, heritage and tradition. is is evident in the many cultural sites we see, including the renowned Museum of Islamic Art, the eclectic Souq Waqif which o ers a traditional bazaar setting in a glittering modern city and lest we mention the newly opened masterpiece, the National Museum of Qatar.
We also see continued support by the Qatar National Tourism Council and Qatar Airways, the nation’s airline, both actively working on diversifying tourism o erings through promoting leisure attractions and placing Doha on the map as more than just a “stop-over” destination. Qatar Airways also continues to add new destinations to truly make Doha a top transit hub.
Being a vital player in the tourism sector, the hospitality industry further solidi es the nations e orts with many projects aimed to enhance the visitor experience. We have certainly seen the development of amazing venues such as the Qatar National Conference Center support meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions attracting a great deal of international Business. With worldwide events such as the FIFA World Cup in 2020, we see continuous investment in hosting top sport events annually such as the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters Golf Tournament and the Qatar ExxonMobil Open Tennis Tournaments for Men and Ladies. Visitors can also witness groundbreaking developments with one of the largest and the world’s rst sustainable downtown regeneration project, Msheireb Downtown Doha. e vision is to develop a modern downtown which re ects identity of the city’s past and to reconnect Doha and its residents with its tradition and heritage, and most importantly with sustainability in mind. Not only is the project a reconnection with the heritage, it shows innovation through technology and city planning.
Mandarin Oriental, Doha is ideally situated at the heart of Msheireb Downtown Doha, as a key actor in the sustainable downtown regeneration project that distinguishes Qatar in the realm of sustainable development. We continually aim to contribute to the Nation’s growth in areas such as social and environmental sustainability. As we cater to the array of business travellers in Doha, we of course aim to support the continued economic growth in the region.
e hospitality industry is at the forefront of change and gearing towards Qatar’s
The hospitality industry is constantly evolving to support its local economy
National Vision. Not only do we see the development of many o erings catered for an eclectic demographic of guests, but we also witness varying interests in the region. A shi we see with the diverse demographics of visitors, placing great importance on the continued evolvement in the region as a distinct location that caters to the world.
Looking ahead, and even before 2030, the hospitality industry is acting responsibly with further importance placed on contributing to the communities in which it operates, responsibly managing its environmental impacts and social commitments. Supporting the nations vision in ensuring bene cial outcomes to all stakeholders.
packaging and even discarded linens. Start to monitor the amounts of wet and dry garbage produced and see where you can reduce it. e lavish breakfast bu et produces mountains of food waste (and food cost); in a world where obesity has become a public health issue, do the portions really need to be that big? As for packaging, speak to your suppliers about reducing double packaging, and make them responsible for taking back the packaging for reuse or recycling. Move to large-format amenities and save on those tiny bottles. Hotels can also encourage guests to bring and ll their own water bottles. Look at investing in drinking water stations so guests can re ll water bottles. Reducing the amount of chemicals and pollutants is also important. ere are good environmentally friendly chemicals for both kitchen and laundry – and some actually work.
Reusing is always a little di cult. As a society, we are not good at it, so let’s stick to recycling. As hard as we try, we cannot eliminate all waste, so let’s try to recycle as much as possible. Not all plastic is bad; if it can be recycled and reused in another form, it is likely to have a lower carbon footprint than those expensive bamboo toothbrushes or sandwich packets.
Nobody said being a friend to the environment would be cheap. It may have a small impact on your P&L, which is why it is important that we have input from top to bottom, owner and operator.