Gulf Times: Gulf Times

The World Travel Awards (WTA) gala grand final ceremony marking the end of a year-long process aimed at acknowledging the best brands in the travel and tourism industry in the world is to be held today evening at the Katara Cultural Village.

The WTA, which was founded in 1993 to acknowledge and recognise excellence in the global travel and tourism industry, is being described as “the Oscars of the travel industry”.

The awards and World Awards Qatar have partnered with the Qatar Tourism Authority for organising the grand final gala ceremony to be attended by leaders in global travel and tourism industry.

World Awards Qatar chief executive officer Dr Naser Homoud said that Qatar was fast becoming a great destination for business and travel and the WTA ceremony at Doha is a proof of the fact.

“Given Qatar’s great achievement in winning the hosting rights for the FIFA World Cup in 2022, the World Travel Awards is honouring Qatar’s achievement in taking the tourism, travel and hospitality industry to new heights in the Middle East and the world,” he said.

QTA chairman Ahmed al-Nuaimi said the choice of Doha to host WTA’s grand final reflects the country’s growing importance and stature in the industry.

“The staging of the ceremony in Doha is an illustration of the confidence the travel and tourism industry has in Qatar as well as the potential it has to develop further.”

WTA president and founder Graham Cooke said: “As one of the most progressive nations in the world, Qatar will prove a fitting host and our ceremony will provide an excellent opportunity for the captains of travel and tourism to experience first-hand the incredible array of projects happening there.”