Joining the national carrier’s CEO on Forbes’ latest list are the CEOs of Katara Hospitality and the Al Rayyan Tourism Investment Company.
Forbes Middle East has unveiled its ranking of the region’s top 100 leaders in the travel and tourism sector.
Forbes hailed the region’s geographical location, ranging from desert terrains to picturesque mountains, and its “cultural richness” as a whole for attracting foreign tourists and investors the world over.
In February, the Qatari Ministry of Interior and Qatar Tourism published a report on travel trends to the Gulf state in the 2023 fiscal year. Last year saw a record-breaking 4.05 million visiting guests welcomed into Qatar – an impressive 58% increase from 2022.
A quarter of all tourists last year hailed from Saudi Arabia, with 91% of Saudi guests opting to cross the border by car rather than travel by air — a common trend among other GCC travellers.
This growing trend has been accelerated by the national carrier — Qatar Airways. Flying the world’s jetsetters to over 170 destinations, the airline was recognised as the world’s and Middle East’s airline at the World MICE Awards in March.
At the helm of the carrier’s successes is Badr Mohammed Al Meer.
He is etched as the region’s fourth most top leader on Forbes’ latest list. He became CEO in November 2023 after serving as Hamad International Airport’s (HIA) COO for over ten years.
In a March interview with CNBC International, Al Meer discussed his aspirations for the carrier’s future.
“Since day one when I started this role, [my vision has been for Qatar Airways] to continue to be the people’s choice, continue to meet expectations when it comes to customer experience, to continue to set benchmarks in the industry and… is to be the leaders in the industry when it comes to innovation.”
Who else made the cut?
Joining Al Meer on the esteemed list is Nasser Matar Al Kawari, who ranks at #14.
Al Kawari is the CEO of Katara Hospitality, which is a global hotel owner, developer and operator. The group’s portfolio boasts prestigious hotels worldwide, such as the Ritz-Carlton in Doha, the Peninsula in Paris and the iconic Raffles Hotel in Singapore — among others.
Al Kawari became the group’s CEO in January 2023, bringing with him a wealth of experience. His previous positions of leadership include being the CEO of Msheireb Properties and Astad Engineering Consultancy and Project Management.
Also on the list at #26 is Tarek El Sayed, the managing director and CEO of the Al Rayyan Tourism Investment Company (ARTIC).
ARTIC was established in 2003 and is a subsidiary of Al Faisal Holding — which features on Forbes’s Top 100 Arab Family Businesses list.
ARTIC oversees real estate development, acquisition and leasing projects, with a focus on the hospitality sector and hospitality-related services.
Its property investment portfolio includes the St Regis Bal Harbour in Miami and the Four Seasons Hotel in Cairo.
El Sayed, who has been ARTIC’s CEO since 2017, said that the company is committed to positively contributing to the government’s Qatar National Vision 2030.
“We are committed to aligning with the massive development seen in the tourism sector in Qatar and to meeting the Qatar National Tourism Vision,” he said in a March interview with the Business Year.
“Qatar enjoys exceptional advantages, as reflected in the development of its tourism and hospitality sectors, and we are constantly looking for strategic opportunities to expand and unlock value for the company and the local market,” he added.
