Qatar will be receiving five new hotels next to the airport Special Economic Zone in Q3 2017.
A tender notice published in the Gulf Times disclosed of plans to build five new hotels and apartments in the special economic zone, currently under-construction next to Hamad International Airport.
Together, the hotels will offer around 670 rooms in 3 or 4-star facilities. However, the hotels will not be provided with alcohol licenses and will be what is known as “dry hotels”.
The plans are currently ongoing to build three special economic zones in Qatar. They will be constructed across Ras Bufontas, near Hamad International Airport, Al Karana, south of the Industrial Area, as well as at Um Alhoul near Mesaieed. The 3 projects are being developed by Manateq, a government organization set up in 2011, which will also manage the areas. The three zones will be exclusive to selected economic sectors.
The hotels announced will be built in Ras Bufontas, the smallest of the zones, covering a rough 4.01 square kilometers. The city is planned to become a business hub specialized in technology, business services, logistics, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare and medical devices.
The cities will come complete with duty-free shopping places, showrooms, hotels, public spaces and an area designated to laborers.
The Special Economic Zones is project set up by the government as part of Qatar’s diversification plan. They are meant to attract international businesses to the country, allowing them to repatriate all their revenue, investments and capital overseas if operating within the zones.
