Real Estate Industry Looks to Qatar for Opportunities

Cityscape Qatar 2014 set to focus international spotlight on real estate and construction boom in Qatar

Doha, Qatar

Doha, Qatar, May 15 2014: With Qatar’s World Cup related development coming increasingly under the international spotlight with record projections for 2014, Cityscape Qatar will open its doors from 2- 4  June at the Qatar National Convention Centre to a ground breaking number of international and local investors and developers.

Now in its 3^rd edition, the annual three-day exhibition is expected to be twice as large as 2013 and is the annual meeting point for key real estate investors, developers, investment promotion authorities, architects, designers and other real estate professionals to drive growth in real estate investment and development across Qatar and abroad.

Mr. Deep Marwaha, Group Director for Cityscape, commented that Qatar’s development plans leading up to the World Cup in 2022 and the 2030 National Vision have made it one of the most exciting countries on the globe for investors. With one of the world’s fastest growing economies set to double in the next decade, the real estate and construction boom has already picked up considerable pace.

“Qatar’s mega-projects, amounting to more than $150 billion, are a major attraction for investors and progress is under way: the country’s population has increased by 15 percent since our inaugural exhibition in Doha. According to industry reports, within the next 12 months the residential market will be bolstered by the completion of 25 residential towers on the Pearl and nine towers in the Diplomatic District, adding 7200 units, and expectations are high for the retail market with 10 new malls set to be completed, or near completion, in a similar period. The hospitality market will be driven by an expected 20 percent growth in tourist numbers, according to the Qatar Tourism Authority. Set against these impressive growth figures Cityscape Qatar 2014 will be a not-to-miss opportunity for investors looking to enter the market”, he added.

“Qatar’s mega-projects, amounting to more than $150 billion, are a major attraction for investors and progress is under way: the country’s population has increased by 15 percent since our inaugural exhibition in Doha.”

– Mr. Deep Marwaha

International participation at Cityscape Qatar is up from 2013, with 55 percent of all exhibitors traveling from abroad in order to learn about the latest project news and showcase their companies. Participants are confirmed from regional countries such as Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Turkey, as well as major Western markers such as the UK, USA and Russia.

Sharing the spotlight with international exhibitors this year at Cityscape Qatar is the score of local real estate developers announcing their latest projects and providing updates on existing developments, headed by Foundation Sponsors Ezdan Holding Group and United Development Company, while Msheireb Properties and Barwa Real Estate Group will also be out in force.

In their sights are a dazzling array of mega-projects that will transform the state of Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup. According to Ventures Middle East these include: the US$7 billion international airport; the US$5.5 billion deepwater seaport; US$20 billion in roads and highways; the US$5.5 billion Msheireb urban redevelopment; the planned US$1 billion Doha Bay Crossing; US$125 billion in industrial projects; 12 Eco friendly stadia; 45,000 hotel rooms to be built by 2022, and demand for 242,000 residential units by 2017.

As part of Cityscape Qatar,the Cityscape Awards for Real Estate in Qatar will take place on 3 June at the Four Seasons Hotel Doha, which will feature an elaborate ceremony and cocktail evening. The awards programme has attracted a plethora of entries from developers and architects behind real estate developments across Qatar and are seen as one of the industry’s most sought after accolades.

Co-located with the exhibition are two dedicated conference programmes, the Qatar Real Estate Summit and the Cityscape Qatar Retail Forum, bringing together senior real estate professionals who will explore opportunities and find solutions to key challenges affecting the industry today.

Cityscape Qatar 2014 is supported by its Foundation Sponsors, Ezdan Holding Group and United Development Company (UDC), with Qatari Diar Construction Products Company as Silver Sponsor.

About Cityscape

Cityscape first took place in 2002 in Dubai and since then, the brand has grown to be the largest real estate event brand globally.  Since its launch, Cityscape has welcomed over 400,000 real estate professionals and investors from over 160 countries through its doors.  Cityscape Qatar started in Qatar in 2012 and is the only annual meeting point for governmental authorities, key investors and developers, consultants, architects, designers and other real estate professionals to drive growth in Qatar’s real estate market.

For more information, go to: www.cityscapeqatar.com.

For more details please visit: http://www.cityscapeqatar.com

For media enquiries related to Cityscape Qatar, please contact Forbes Associates, Rinilda Raviraj at rinilda@forbes-associates.com