Organizing the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar presented a great opportunity to accelerate and effectively drive the implementation of a sustainability-conscious development in Qatar. The Carbon Neutral mega event facilitated in realizing a tangible and lasting impact on several business sectors especially those that are hospitality related.

This is the first World Cup that addresses the role of the hospitality sector and supports green hotel programs as a key pillar in achieving a holistically sustainable tournament. Thus, the role and purpose of the hospitality sector has been elevated for the first time at an event of such size and scale. 

Qatar’s national tourism and hospitality sector plays a unique role in contributing to all four pillars of QNV2030, which also serves as a guiding force to the Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030 of Qatar Tourism. This strategy envisions Qatar as a sustainable tourism destination and builds traveler confidence by delivering service excellence at all tourist touchpoints. Qatar Tourism aims to work on securing the country’s sustainable growth by developing authentic tourism products, advancing Qatar’s urban infrastructure, and adopting and promoting environmentally conscious tourism and hospitality practices. 

Therefore, Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC) – in partnership with the Supreme committee for delivery and legacy (SC) and the support of Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) – agreed and hosted three workshops for hotel operators to capture the current operational challenges and explore means of resolving them in collaboration with national stakeholders. The workshops helped to highlight the current challenges and best practices from certified green hotels in Qatar and explore means of scaling them. 

The findings and recommendations from the workshops’ discussions were consolidated and documented in a joint report that will be published and discussed during this event. The report will help in broadening the application of sustainability practices in hotels supporting the delivery of FWC2022. It will drive the decision-making process and national policies towards a sustainability paradigm shift in the hospitality sector.