Qatar's hospitality sector urged to use social media to boost growth

Use e-marketing and social media technologies to advertise messages and grow business, a workshop organized by the Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), urged Qatar''s tourism and hospitality sector here Monday. More than 100 participants from Qatar''s travel and hospitality industry picked up tips from experts on how to use digital tools and e-marketing techniques at the Qatar Online Tourism Seminar at the Doha Exhibition Centre, the QTA said in a media statement today. Held in association with E-Tourism Frontiers, the workshop highlighted the importance of e-marketing and using social networking tools including Facebook, foursquare, Twitter and Linkedin to boost sales and bookings. The attendees learned how to engage through social media and the internet and even iPad and iPhone applications as in 2010, 20 percent of travellers downloaded an app or information about their destination onto their smartphone or device. The participants were given a number of successful case studies where digital tools have been used to garner more exposure, including Australia and more recently South Africa during the 2010 World Cup. They were also told about the importance if web design, content and management as well as converting ''interest'' into sales. The seminar attendees were also briefed about the QTA''s unique digital media campaign about to be undertaken in the Asian market. The ''48 Hours'' campaign will target business travellers and high end tourists to stop over in Doha on their way to other destinations. A QTA spokeswoman said the workshop had been organized following a successful seminar held earlier this year. "The opportunities for the tourism sector are obvious. If we can educate ourselves in the latest e-marketing tools and digital trends, we can find new clients, harness new technologies and explore new markets," the spokeswoman said. "Qatar 2022 has put this country on the map and we need to be looking at ways the hospitality industry can encourage more visitors to come here. The internet has become an essential tool for people making reservations or researching destinations. This can be leveraged on a greater scale." Day two of the seminar will see attendees given a ''Social Media Toolkit'' and learn how to engage with potential clients through social media as well as other sites such as Youtube. Seminar leader, CEO and founder of E-Tourism Frontiers, Damian Cooke said using social media and digital tools had become a "necessity" in the travel and hospitality industry. "56 percent of all travel booking are made on the internet now. And for 96% of travellers, the internet is their first port of call," he said.