Although newspapers have traditionally been the main focus for advertising spend, as Qataris become more open to social media the potential for a shift to online is clear. Qatar has a high internet penetration rate, growing from 70% in 2014 to 97% in 2017, according to the Northwestern University in Qatar “Media Use in the Middle East 2017” (MUME) report, which surveyed seven countries:…
Qatar’s high levels of wealth and car ownership, and its large number of malls, together make the country well suited to the development of large hypermarkets. The sector has been growing rapidly in recent years, with numerous homegrown, regional and international brands active in the industry or intending to launch their maiden stores shortly. The large number of shopping malls due to open…
The international tax environment has been evolving rapidly in the last two years, with a number of changes affecting the GCC states. With increased budgetary requirements, sustained lower oil prices and heightened government spending requirements, the pursuit of new income sources in the region was widely anticipated. In early May 2017 the Qatar cabinet approved draft VAT and excise laws,…
The Civil and Commercial Arbitration Law No. 2 of 2017 has introduced major reforms in many areas in Qatar, and supersedes the old commercial and civil procedure code Law No. 13 of 1990. Similar to the arbitration rules set out in the UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) model law, the new Civil and Commercial Arbitration Law is flexible in nature and allows parties to openly…
Qatar operates a modern and technically proficient power transmission and distribution network. The system benefits from a compact country service area of only 11,570 sq km and modern infrastructure, much of it installed over the last 10 years as total generation capacity grew by over 140%. Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) serves as sole system owner and operator…
Located 16 km from central Doha and within six hours flying time of 80% of the world’s population, Hamad International Airport (HIA) has emerged as a key regional transport hub since opening its doors to the public in April 2014. The airport’s infrastructure and facilities rank it among the most efficient and best reviewed globally, recording a 90.5% on-time departure performance in the…
Under pressure from reduced corporate demand, softer oil prices and slow economic growth, the hospitality industry in Doha and the wider GCC struggled with lower occupancy rates in 2016 and 2017. However, growth in the industry is expected to be faster over the next four years than in any other market in the Gulf region, with the exception of Dubai. In its 2016 “GCC Hospitality Industry Report”,…
Viewpoint:Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Economic affairs remain a matter of prime concern for us, especially in light of the circumstances created by the sharp decline in hydrocarbons prices; however, we are determined to achieve the goals that we have set for ourselves in the Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV 2030). New realities are emerging in the global energy industry as a result of accelerating…
Following a challenging 2016, when the price of Brent Crude dipped briefly below $30 per barrel and governments across the GCC were compelled to significantly adjust their fiscal plans, 2017 has brought the region some respite – both to current accounts and the wider economy. Qatar remained better insulated from the effects of oil price volatility than most countries in the Gulf, owing chiefly…
Since gaining independence in 1971 Qatar has quickly risen to prominence both regionally and internationally to become an economic, political and cultural powerhouse in the Middle East. With a relatively small local population and substantial revenues generated from having the third-largest proven natural gas reserves globally, Qatar has one of the world’s highest GDPs per capita: at current…
