InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and Trans Orient Group on Tuesday broke ground on Crowne Plaza Doha The Business Park, the first property under the Crowne Plaza brand in Doha.

The project is in line with IHG’s expansion plans for the Middle East, said a top hotel official.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani, owner of the Trans Orient Group, and John Bamsey, chief operating officer, IHG, Middle East & Africa kicked off the ground breaking ceremony.

Dr Ahmed Obaidan, general manager, Trans Orient Group, Fathi Abu Rish, executive manager of Sheikh Mohammed’s office, Samir A. Shafei, hospitality consultant for Trans Orient Group, Rani Gharbié, director of development MEA for IHG, Ibrahim M Jaidah, managing director, Arab Engineering Group and Faisal Abdulla Khalid Al Mana, vice chairman of Redco attended the ceremony.

“We believe the tourism sector has tremendous potential.  The country is expanding its airport and airline in line with projected visitor growth of 1.4 million tourists by the end of 2010, said Sheikh Mohammed.

"Crowne Plaza Doha The Business Park is well positioned to contribute towards the increased visitor demand, particularly to that driven by the business park that the hotel will sit within."

"It gives me great pleasure to attend the ground breaking ceremony and look forward to building a long and lasting relationship with IHG, he added.

Crowne Plaza Doha The Business Park will be centrally located within the city’s newest business district, currently under development and only two kilometres from Doha International Airport.

The hotel has been designed with a focus on high-level individual service, comfort and business facilities. With easy access to the business park’s major conference centre and office towers, the hotel will provide the perfect base for business travellers.

“Qatar’s economy has shown continuous growth since we first signed Crowne Plaza Doha The Business Park, with Trans Orient Group in 2008," remarked Bamsey.

"The development of the Business Park that the hotel will reside in, close to the city and the airport, is the perfect site for us to place a Crowne Plaza as the brands positioning and product is aligned towards catering to the discerning business traveller," he said.

“Business travel has certainly increased in the country, accounting for 65 per cent of total visitors to Qatar annually. The country has made its mark as a business hub regionally and globally and is also recognised as a key destination for meetings and corporate events," Bamsey added.-TradeArabia News Service