Qatar is one of the fastest growing countries in the field of tourism, an emerging market that has witnessed rapid growth in the last few years (in terms of hotel openings). Same applies for new ways of working, for instance, Qatar Clean Programme, an initiative launched by Qatar Tourism and the Ministry of Public Health to ensure maximum safety for all travelers and residents was implemented. A collaborative effort, this program has been rolled out across the hospitality & tourism sectors. This initiative introduces expert protocols for hygiene and cleanliness and follows strict sterilization and disinfection practices applied to hotels and restaurants across the country.

Another key event that shaped the Qatar cleaning industry was the FIFA World Cup 2022™. A key global tourist destination like Qatar has witnessed more than 1.4 million fans from across the globe for the World Cup 2022™ . Through this event, Qatar went through loads of learning and rigorous classroom & web trainings.  Housekeepers  went through a new learning curve  where they had to understand  “New cleaning protocols” introduced by their respective brands  and  local government guidelines regarding cleanliness, disinfection, sanitization, physical distancing & other COVID-19 modus-operandi.  The  results corroborate exactly why Qatar’s  team of “Unsung Heroes” aka  housekeeping teams are the strength of Arab Tourism Capital for 2023 & responsible to maintain the glittering & shining Qatar’s skyline, opulent hotel rooms & guest facilities in flawless condition.

This brought a radical change in the role & responsibility of housekeepers who gained confidence & learned that a guest’s priority has majorly shifted from aesthetically clean to clinically clean hotels. Housekeepers have suddenly become the front face of brands and their function - a key selling point. 

Electrostatic sprays or sanitizing the coffee table image has become more important than an orthodox image of a lobby colleague welcoming in the background of hotel floral decoration though their roles routinely edge into the bizarre.

All these progresses have positively changed the outlook of the hospitality industry in Qatar. The country has been marked as their business destination, especially by suppliers & service facilitators. 

To recognize these thoughts & views,  CLEAN MIDDLE EAST is organizing the “Laundry & Housekeepers Summit – Qatar edition. The event will be a game changer for service providers & will shape a new outlook for the destination.  

About the author

Prabhat Shukla is the Director of Rooms & Quality (acting) at InterContinental Doha The City. He founded the Kuwait Housekeepers association in 2008 and is also the President of the Asian Housekeepers Association.