Foreign visitors have been prohibited from entering Qatar since March 17, but the Gulf state remains an important aviation transit destination. The rapid worldwide spread of Covid-19 has made some affluent states in the Gulf, among them Qatar, particularly vulnerable to imported cases, due to their mobile populations and high proportions of foreign workers. Qatar confirmed its first…
On emerging from challenging times in an advantageous position In what ways has Qatar evolved into a stronger economy following the blockade? SHEIKH FAISAL BIN QASSIM AL THANI: To prevent conflict or competition, there has always been a broad understanding among the GCC countries as to what products each country produces. As a result of the blockade, however, the Qatari government has successfully…
Oxford Business Group (OBG) began its CEO Survey in 2016 with the aim of giving our clients a handle on sentiment in the various markets we cover. Sentiment is of course intangible, but it is an all-important factor in the decisions business people and investors make when they weigh up their risk appetite. In turn, sentiment informs the level of confidence with which they view a market. It is also…
Muted growth figures did not detract from a generally positive year for Qatar, in which new developments in liquefied natural gas (LNG) production were matched by broad-based expansion in non-hydrocarbons sectors. In the first quarter of 2019, 0.9% year-on-year (y-o-y) GDP growth reflected 2018’s slowdown, while in the second quarter it contracted by 1.5% y-o-y. The World Bank estimates that Qatar’s…
Qatar has unveiled a new strategy to bolster artificial intelligence (AI) development. In late October the government launched the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, a plan designed to identify economic opportunities and research potential in the burgeoning field of AI. The strategy, developed by Hamad bin Khalifa University’s Qatar Computing Research Institute, is based on six pillars:…
Global trade faces protectionist headwinds that are dampening the outlook for growth in the coming years. According to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), trade volumes grew by 3% in 2018 and are expected to decline slightly to 2.6% in 2019 before rebounding to 3% in 2020. This may be the first time since the 2007-08 global financial crisis that growth will fall below a 3% average, as significant…
Learnabout Hospitality Qatar’s CPD-certified conference Participatein Hospitality Qatar’s certified training sessions Watch live competitions among top chefs in front of a panel of international judges at Salon Culinaire. Visit the newly introduced Destination Pavilion sponsored by Qatar Airways. Gaininsights into Luxury Tourism in association with LT&MG …
Business Barometer: GCC CEO Survey Copyright (c). All rights reserved. This survey has been designed to assess business sentiment amongst business leaders (Chief Executives or equivalent) and their outlook for the next 12 months. Unlike many surveys, the OBG Business Barometer is conducted by OBG staff on a face-to-face basis, across the full range of industries, company sizes and functional…
