Doha: Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC), a member of Qatar Foundation, and Qatar Tourism (QT) agreed to a new partnership that will see them collaborate to embed sustainability into all areas of the country's hospitality industry and ensure that it is a key priority moving forward.
As part of the agreement, both parties have identified a number of targets that they will work to achieve. These include integrating the Green Key award an international eco-label for tourism facilities and the Eco-event award, a rating system that provides measurable guidelines for organizing a variety of low carbon events.
The aim is for this to become the leading standard of excellence in Qatar, in the field of environmental responsibility and sustainable operation within the tourism industry. Other areas of collaboration include data sharing, promoting media stories which highlight both parties achievements and developing a two-way framework designed to facilitate exchanges in tourism-related activities.
Commenting on the news QGBC Director Meshal Al Shamari, said: "We are delighted to partner with Qatar Tourism as we both recognize how important sustainability is to Qatar and its future. We have a clear interest in making a sustainable hospitality sector a reality, and our cooperation is a significant step towards this. We are proud of the part we are playing in helping our nation to establish a post-hydrocarbon, knowledge-based economy and a progressive society that puts sustainability first."
For his part, Qatar Tourism's Omar Al Jaber said: "We are very pleased to enter into this partnership with QGBC. As stewards of the tourism sector, Qatar Tourism is committed to the sustainable development of the sector. As our award-winning hospitality sector grows, with ever more offerings, we are eager to work together to ensure sustainable practices. At Qatar Tourism we endeavor to deliver Service Excellence across the visitor journey. Sustainability is a key element of that, as we work towards reducing our environmental footprint while continuing to offer unparalleled visitor experiences."
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 tournament will have a heavy focus on sustainability, and this collaboration will offer the hospitality industry in Qatar the tools it will need to maximize its sustainability efforts.
