Katara Hospitality
| Company type | State-owned enterprise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hospitality |
| Predecessor | Qatar National Hotels |
| Founded | 1970 (as Qatar National Hotels Limited) 1993 (as Qatar National Hotels Company) 2012 (as Katara Hospitality) |
| Headquarters | , Qatar |
Key people | Mansoor Al Mahmoud (Chairman) Nasser Al Kuwari (CEO) |
| Owner | Qatar Investment Authority[1] |
| Subsidiaries | Qetaifan Projects Murwab Hotels Group BÜRGENSTOCK Collection Parisa - Persian Cuisine |
| Website | www |
Katara Hospitality, formerly known as Qatar National Hotels Company, is the largest hotel owner, developer and operator in Qatar.[2] It is government-owned.[3] As of 2016, the company owns properties in Qatar, Egypt, Morocco, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United States, Switzerland, Spain and Thailand.[4] The company has a portfolio of 40 hotels in mid-2019.[5]
History
[edit]The company was originally formed in 1970 as Qatar National Hotels Limited (QNH). In 1973, Marriott Hotel, then known as Gulf Hotel and owned by QNH, became the country's five-star hotel.[6] In 1993, this company was replaced by Qatar National Hotels Company.[7] In 2012, it was rebranded under its current form, Katara Hospitality.[8] 'Katara' derives its name from the common spelling used for 'Qatar' by ancient cartographers.[2]
World Travel Awards named Katara Hospitality as the "World's Leading Hospitality Company" in 2013, 2014 and 2015.[9]
Activities
[edit]Several Qatar-based hotels are owned by the company, and there are many projects currently in construction. Hotels operating in Qatar include Al Messila, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Doha, Mövenpick Hotel Doha, Sealine Beach, a Murwab Resort, Sharq Village & Spa, Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel, Simaisma, a Murwab Resort, Somerset West Bay Doha, The Avenue, a Murwab Hotel and The Ritz-Carlton, Doha.[10]
Katara Hospitality opened Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel in 1982.[11] In a partnership with the premier Spanish football division, La Liga, Katara Hospitality launched the first-ever "La Liga Lounge" at the Sheraton Resort in Doha in March 2017.[12]
Properties
[edit]In 2012, Katara had a portfolio of 24 hotels.[13] By mid-2017, the company had increased its portfolio to 40 hotels.[5]
- Qatar: The Ritz-Carlton Doha, Sharq Village & Spa, Somerset West Bay Doha, Simaisma Resort, Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel, Sealine Beach Resort, Rixos Gulf Hotel Doha, Rixos Qetaifan Island North Doha, Movenpick Hotel Doha, Katara Towers Lusail Marina, Jouri Hotel, Hotel Park, Hilton Salwa Beach Resort & Villas Doha, Dana Club, Al Messila Resort.
- Switzerland: Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne, Hotel Royal Savoy Lausanne, Hotel Schweizerhof – Bern.
- France: Carlton Cannes Hotel, Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris, Maison Delano, The Peninsula Paris
- Italy: The Westin Excelsior Rome, Excelsior Hotel Gallia, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Milan,
- UK: Grosvenor House Hotel, The Adria, The Savoy, A Fairmont Managed Hotel
- The Netherlands: InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam
- Spain: InterContinental Madrid
- Morocco: Fairmont Tazi Palace, Tangier
- Egypt: Renaissance Sharm El Sheikh Golden View Beach Resort
- Thailand: Chiva-Som, Hua Hin
- Singapore: Raffles Hotel Singapore
- US: Dream Downtown, New York and Plaza Hotel
Investments
[edit]Africa
[edit]Katara Hospitality's first international investment came in 2006, under its previous identity, Qatar National Hotels Company (QNH). That year, it acquired Egypt's Renaissance Sharm El Sheikh Resort.[14]
In April 2010, QNH signed a deal with the Comoran government to build a $70 million hotel resort in Comoros. The deal came after a donors conference geared towards Comoros was hosted by Qatar in March 2010.[15]
Morocco and the QNH signed a $55 million deal in November 2011 to refurbish the Tazi Palace, located in Tangier.[16]
In Gambia, the company signed a deal with the Gambian government in October 2012 to build a $200 million resort next to Banjul, the capital.[17]
Europe
[edit]The Excelsior Hotel Gallia in Milan, Italy was acquired by the company in 2015. It is part of The Luxury Collection.[18] In addition it runs the Westin Excelsior Rome.
Katara Hospitality has invested in several properties in Paris. Hotels it owns include The Peninsula Paris and the Royal Monceau Raffles Paris.[19]
In Switzerland, the company has invested $1 billion into renovating the Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne, which it owns.[20]
In the Netherlands, Katara Hospitality own the Amstel Hotel run by the Intercontinental Group. [1]
Americas
[edit]Katara Hospitality acquired full ownership of New York City's Plaza Hotel in July 2018 after buying the hotel's ownership stakes from Sahara India Pariwar, and from Ben Ashkenazy and Al-Waleed bin Talal.[21][22]
Subsidiaries
[edit]
- Murwab Hotels Group
- Qetaifan Projects Company
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "AccorHotels, Qatar's Katara target Africa with new fund". Reuters. Archived from the original on 27 April 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
- ^ a b Courtney Trenwith (15 July 2013). "Katara Hospitality: The next big step". Arabian Business. Archived from the original on 13 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
- ^ Erika Widen (21 July 2015). "Katara Hospitality Chairman Sheikh Nawaf Bin Jassim Bin Jabor Al-Thani Talks GCC Hospitality and Group's Plans". Entrepreneur. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
- ^ Davide Barbuscia; Tom Finn (9 October 2016). "Qatar's Katara Hospitality raising $500 million loan: sources". Reuters. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
- ^ a b "Katara Hospitality to support World Tourism Day celebrations". Gulf Times. 31 August 2017. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
- ^ Hamad Abdullah Al-Mulla (8 December 2016). "Katara Hospitality brings Gulf luxury to the world's iconic hotels". European CEO. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
- ^ "Our history". Katara Hospitality. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
- ^ "Launch of Katara Hospitality heralds new era for Qatar's expanding tourism sector". Tourism Insider. 30 April 2012. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
- ^ "Katara Hospitality scoops three World Travel Awards". Trade Arabia. 15 December 2015. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
- ^ Oxford Business Group (22 April 2015). The Report: Qatar 2015. p. 188. ISBN 978-1-910068-27-4. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
{{cite book}}:|author=has generic name (help) - ^ Sylvie Leroy (19 June 2016). "Katara Hospitality: les atouts humains et financiers pour assurer la croissance et la reconnaissance de ses pairs (Qatar)" (in French). Journal des Places. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
- ^ "Katara Hospitality and LaLiga Launch World's First LaLiga Lounge in Doha". La Liga. 11 March 2017. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
- ^ Elizabeth Broomhall (30 April 2012). "Qatar's Katara plans to double hotel portfolio". Arabian Business. Archived from the original on 13 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
- ^ "Katara Hospitality leads innovation in Qatar's hotel industry". Business Destinations. 21 February 2015. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
- ^ "Qatar signs $70m hotel deal in Comoros". Arabian Business. 22 April 2010. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
- ^ "Qatar firm to invest $55m in Morocco hotel project". Construction Week Online. 3 November 2011. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
- ^ "Qatar Katara Hospitality plans $200m Gambia resort". Construction Week Online. 4 October 2012. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
- ^ "EXCELSIOR HOTEL GALLIA, A LUXURY COLLECTION HOTEL, MILAN". Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
- ^ "Katara's The Peninsula Paris earns 'Palace' distinction". Trade Arabia. 14 August 2017. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
- ^ "Katara Hospitality to announce the opening of USD 1 billion Bürgenstock Resort this month". Qatar Tribune. 14 August 2017. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
- ^ Karmin, Craig; Morris, Keiko (3 July 2018). "New York's Iconic Plaza Hotel Sold to Qatar Fund for $600 Million". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- ^ Tan, Gillian (5 July 2018). "NYC's Historic Plaza Hotel Sold to Qatari State-Owned Company". Bloomberg.com. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.