| Company type | State-owned enterprise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hospitality |
| Founded | 1970 (as Qatar National Hotels Limited) 1993 (as Qatar National Hotels Company) 2012 (as Katara Hospitality) |
| Headquarters | , Qatar |
Key people | Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari (Chairman)[1] |
| Owner | Qatar Investment Authority[2] |
| Website | www |
Katara Hospitality, formerly known as Qatar National Hotels Company, is the largest hotel owner, developer and operator in Qatar.[3] It is government-owned.[4] As of 2016, the company owns properties in Qatar, Egypt, Morocco, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United States, Switzerland, Spain and Thailand.[5] The company has a portfolio of 40 hotels in mid-2019.[6]
The company was originally formed in 1970 as Qatar National Hotels Limited (QNH). In 1973, Marriott Hotel, then known as Gulf Hotel and owned by QNH, became the country's five-star hotel.[7] In 1993, this company was replaced by Qatar National Hotels Company.[8] In 2012, it was rebranded under its current form, Katara Hospitality.[9] 'Katara' derives its name from the common spelling used for 'Qatar' by ancient cartographers.[3]
World Travel Awards named Katara Hospitality as the "World's Leading Hospitality Company" in 2013, 2014 and 2015.[10]
Several Qatar-based hotels are owned by the company, and there are many projects currently in construction. Hotels operating in Qatar include Al Messila, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Doha, Mövenpick Hotel Doha, Sealine Beach, a Murwab Resort, Sharq Village & Spa, Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel, Simaisma, a Murwab Resort, Somerset West Bay Doha, The Avenue, a Murwab Hotel and The Ritz-Carlton, Doha.[11]
Katara Hospitality opened Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel in 1982.[12] In a partnership with the premier Spanish football division, La Liga, Katara Hospitality launched the first-ever "La Liga Lounge" at the Sheraton Resort in Doha in March 2017.[13]
In 2012, Katara had a portfolio of 24 hotels.[14] By mid-2017, the company had increased its portfolio to 40 hotels.[6]
Katara Hospitality's first international investment came in 2006, under its previous identity, Qatar National Hotels Company (QNH). That year, it acquired Egypt's Renaissance Sharm El Sheikh Resort.[15]
In April 2010, QNH signed a deal with the Comoran government to build a $70 million hotel resort in Comoros. The deal came after a donors conference geared towards Comoros was hosted by Qatar in March 2010.[16]
Morocco and the QNH signed a $55 million deal in November 2011 to refurbish the Tazi Palace, located in Tangier.[17]
In Gambia, the company signed a deal with the Gambian government in October 2012 to build a $200 million resort next to Banjul, the capital.[18]
The Excelsior Hotel Gallia in Milan, Italy was acquired by the company in 2015. It is part of The Luxury Collection.[19] In addition it runs the Westin Excelsior Rome.
Katara Hospitality has invested in several properties in Paris. Hotels it owns include The Peninsula Paris and the Royal Monceau Raffles Paris.[20]
In Switzerland, the company has invested $1 billion into renovating the Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne, which it owns.[21]
In the Netherlands, Katara Hospitality own the Amstel Hotel run by the Intercontinental Group. [1]
Katara Hospitality acquired full ownership of New York City's Plaza Hotel in July 2018 after buying the hotel's ownership stakes from Sahara India Pariwar, and from Ben Ashkenazy and Al-Waleed bin Talal.[22][23]
