Sheikh Nawaf bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani (second right), Chairman of Katara Hospitality, and Faton Mass Jobe- Nije, Gambian Minister of Culture and Tourism, exchanging the documents. Also seen are Hamad Abdulla Al Mullah (right), CEO of Katara Hospitality, and Benjamin Roberts, CEO of Gambian Tourism Authority. Abdul Basit
BY RAYNALD C RIVERA
DOHA: Katara Hospitality continues to expand its presence in the international market investing in a multi-million dollar hospitality complex in Gambia which brings its total number of international projects to 15.
“We are getting into the different continents, not only in Asia, and this is our aim,” said Katara Hospitality Chairman H E Sheikh Nawaf bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani at a press conference following the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Gambia yesterday.
Katara Hospitality now has 15 hotels under development in various countries, said Sheikh Nawaf, adding the leading Qatari hospitality organisation has now reached a total of 6,000 hotel rooms all over the world.
H E Faton Mass Jobe-Nije, Minister of Culture and Tourism of Gambia signed the MoU on behalf of The Gambia.
Under this MoU, the government of Gambia offers Katara Hospitality a plot of land with an area of 18 hectares located in Bijilo Forest Park on the western African coast. Katara Hospitality will build there a hospitality complex that will contribute to the development of the tourism sector in the country.
The unique complex to be completed by year 2016 will be resort-type consisting 200 rooms whose total cost would be between $150m to $200m, said Sheikh Nawaf.
“We welcome Katara Hospitality to the Gambia and we are confident that this investment in Bijilo Forest Park will contribute significantly to boosting the tourism sector not only in the area, but in the country,” said Faton Mass Jobe –Nije.
“Qatar and Gambia have been enjoying a very strong relationship and I see no reason why we don’t have to further strengthen it,” said the Gambian Tourism Minister.
“One of the main pillars of our strategic expansion is to invest in emerging markets. By committing to this agreement, our primary goal is to support the development of the local community, while sharing our expertise in the hospitality field and investing into creating a strong partnership and lasting value”, said Sheikh Nawaf.
“We have a good relationship with Gambia. This is the first and I hope won’t be the last project in Gambia,” he added.
Tourism is the fastest growing sector of the Gambian economy, accounting for about 12 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product. Efforts at tourism diversification are currently directed to developing the MICE market, while elevating the eco-tourism, culture and heritage tourism as well as the sports and health tourism.
Jobe –Nije said their country she described as “peaceful, stable and with lots of opportunities” has witnessed investors from world over including from Kuwait and other Arab States.
Hamad Abdullah Al Mullah, CEO of Katara Hospitality and Benjamin Roberts, CEO of Gambian Tourism Authority were present at the signing ceremony held at The Ritz-Carlton Doha.
The Peninsula
