Qatar National Hotels Co. announced at the Arabian Travel Market convention in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Monday that it is rebranding as Katara Hospitality.
Katara Hospitality, Doha, Qatar, said the launch of its new corporate identity, designed by branding consultancy Lambie-Nairn, London, has the twin goals of raising brand awareness in key targeted international markets, as well as developing long-term, business-to-business partnerships. The name Katara comes from descriptions of Qatar used in ancient maps of the region.
“We seized the opportunity to redefine the brand and set the scene for future growth of not only our rapidly-expanding portfolio, but of Qatar’s reputation as a key player in the global tourism market,” said Nawaf bin Jassim bin Jabor al Thani, Katara Hospitality chairman. “The decision to revive the name Katara reflects our rich cultural heritage and honors the country’s ancient roots, while being symbolic for our recognition beyond the regional borders since ancient times.”
The company also used the occasion to highlight new projects. Openings on the horizon including two new Qatar-based projects, the mixed-use Lusail Marina Iconic Development, aiming to be operational by 2016 in Lusail, the latest planned urban center in Qatar and the Merwebhotel City Centre Doha, scheduled to open in 2013.