A joint initiative by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Qatar Tourism aims to simplify licensing procedures and stimulate the tourism sector.

In a bid to boost the nation’s hospitality and tourism sectors, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Qatar Tourism have launched an initiative to streamline licensing procedures for tourism establishments and businesses.

The initiative includes elements like seasonal discounts, festival-specific discounts, promotional offers, and special deals, all designed to stimulate the tourism sector.

The key focus is on simplifying and speeding up ‘Qualitative Licensing Services’ making it easier to overcome challenges faced when applying for promotional and price reduction licenses, as well as procedures for festival, event and exhibition licensing.

Hassan Sultan Al-Ghanim, Assistant Undersecretary for Consumer Affairs at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said: “This was introduced to facilitate the procedures for obtaining specific licenses for tourism and hospitality establishments, where obtaining the license would take one business day, with the prerequisite that all terms and conditions are met and the required documents submitted, this would have a direct positive impact on the entire sector’s value chain.

Qatar tourism sector has been identified as one of the key sectors in the country’s economy, which contributes to attracting investments and increasing the revenues.

“This initiative comes within the framework of the efforts of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to develop the business environment and facilitate business ventures in the country, and to establish an encouraging investment environment for entrepreneurs and investors.

It is important to shed light on the Ministry’s keenness to consolidate collaborations with various relevant government entities with the aim to facilitate and streamline procedures for granting the necessary approvals and licenses to establish a business.”

An integral part of the initiative is the issuance of a single-fee annual license that includes all offers and discounts provided by hotels, as announced through their marketing plans.

The application process for the ‘single- license’ will be overseen by Visit Qatar, the main branch of Qatar Tourism, thus ensuring streamlined procedures and enhanced inter-sector cooperation.

Omar Al Jaber, Acting Chief of the Tourism Development Sector at Qatar Tourism, said: “The new licensing initiative by Qatar Tourism and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry aims to enhance tourism offerings across relevant businesses and provide necessary protection for the activities of these establishments.

Thus, providing the sector the flexibility to intensify its efforts by launching promotional campaigns that revive their work as well as provide tourists opportunities to enjoy attractive offerings, enhancing visitors’ experience.

This initiative reflects Qatar Tourism’s commitment to develop and expand the reach of the tourism sector in the country, by including more tourism and hospitality businesses and focus on being comprehensive with its licensing protocol and elevating the efficacy and transparency of key services.”