DOHA: The Qatar Tourism Awards, developed in partnership with the World Tourism Organization, has announced the shortlist for its fourth edition, with public voting now underway.
A total of 276 nominees have been shortlisted from more than 1,623 submissions across 35 subcategories under seven main categories. Residents and visitors can cast their votes to October 12 giving the public an opportunity to play a direct role in recognising this year’s nominees.
The awards ceremony will be held on November 23, honouring individuals and organisations for their contributions to the continued growth and development of Qatar’s tourism sector and their efforts to deliver high quality experiences to visitors and residents.
The Service Excellence category leads this year’s shortlist with 83 nominees across 11 subcategories. These include Outstanding 3-Star Hotel (4), Outstanding 4-Star Hotel (6), Outstanding 5-Star Hotel (15), Exceptional Spa Experience (8), Exceptional Resort Experience (7), Exceptional Holiday Home Experience (8), Outstanding New Tourism Accommodation (4), the Heart of Hospitality Award (10), Leading Chief Concierge (5), Tour Guide of the Year (6), and Leading Destination Management Company (10).
The Gastronomic Experiences category features 61 nominees across six subcategories: Outstanding Fine Dining Experience (12), Exceptional Casual Dining Experience (10), Premier Quick Service Experience (10), Noteworthy Café Experience (10), Outstanding Authentic Qatari Dining Experience (10), and Outstanding New Restaurant (9).
The Iconic Attractions and Activities category includes 40 nominees across six subcategories. They are Outstanding Cultural Tourism Experience (6), Unforgettable Adventure Tourism Experience (7), Leading Local Retail Brand (9), Premier Shopping Mall Experience (5), Premier Theme Park Experience (6), and Iconic Local Attraction (7).
The World Class Events category has 25 nominees across four subcategories: Top MICE Event of the Year (9), Leading Event Celebrating Local Culture (5), Premier Sport Event of the Year (5), and Outstanding Multi-purpose MICE & Events Venue (6).
The Digital Footprint category features 25 nominees across three subcategories: Outstanding Destination Campaign (8), Tourism Influencer (Content Creator) of the Year (10), and Outstanding Qatar Travel Vlog of the Year (7).
Meanwhile, Smart and Sustainable Tourism has 30 nominees across four subcategories: Tourism Innovation Award (6), Accessibility Initiative of the Year (8), Leading Sustainable Attraction (7), and Leading Eco-Friendly Accommodation (9).
The Community Leadership category completes the shortlist with 12 nominees for Hotelier of the Year.
The Qatar Tourism Awards recognise organisations and individuals making significant contributions to the growth and development of Qatar’s tourism industry. The awards aim to promote service excellence, innovation and best practices across the sector while highlighting the achievements of tourism stakeholders in Qatar.
The full list of shortlisted nominees is available on the Qatar Tourism Awards website.
Public voting is open from October 5 to 12 for two categories: Tourism Content Creator of the Year and Qatar Tourism Vlog of the Year.
Members of the public can participate in the voting through the official Qatar Tourism Awards voting platform at qtawards.qa/vote.
