ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Home | 5 Business | 23 Sport | 30 GCC health Global growth Qatar has set ministers to expected to new benchmark meet in Doha on remain low: for Worlds: Wednesday. QNB. AIBA chief. SUNDAY 18 OCTOBER 2015 • 5 Muharram 1437 • Volume 20 Number 6587 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Sheikha Mayassa opens exhibition E-commerce Qatar likely to market in Qatar poised get 3m tourists for growth By Sachin Kumar by year-end DOHA: Qatar’s e-commerce market is poised for strong growth in the coming years. The Plans to make country cruise destination B2C (Business-to-Consumer) market or e-commerce market in DOHA: Qatar’s tourism promotion made up the largest segment of tourists to Qatar, currently pegged at $1bn, agency expects tourist arrivals in the Qatar, as their number grew 31 percent. is likely to double in the next five country to cross the three million-mark The majority of this growth took place years. According to the Ministry by 2015-end as the country’s calendar of in March when tourist arrivals rose 82 of Information and Communica- events and conferences reaches its peak percent as compared to March of 2014. tions Technology (ictQatar), this in the last quarter (October to Decem- Visitor arrivals from the UAE also grew market is expected to grow at ber). 13 percent in the period, while those from Compound Annual Growth Rate The agency says it is working to help Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman rose seven Chairperson of Qatar Museums H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani inaugurated (CAGR) of 17pc over the next five establish Qatar as a destination for cruise percent, nine percent and two percent, yesterday an exhibition of Luc Tuymans at Al Riwaq Gallery. Minister of Culture, Arts and years. E-commerce refers to the ships, which will be bringing in hundreds respectively. Heritage H E Dr Hamad bin Abdul Aziz Al Kuwari, Vice-Chairman of Qatar Museums Sheikh use of Internet to conduct busi- of tourists during November. The largest growth in other primary Hassan bin Mohammed Al Thani and Sheikh Jassim bin Abdul Aziz Al Thani also attended ness transactions between indi- Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) said markets outside of the GCC, included the opening. Report on page 4 viduals and organisations. the country received nearly 2.25 million arrivals from France (up nine percent), “While Qatar’s e-commerce visitors in the first nine months of 2015, China (up 16pc) and USA (up two per- market is not yet fully developed, up eight percent over the same period of cent). Visitors arriving in July 2015 rose 14 Qatar has many of the key ingre- 2014. QTA yesterday released third quar- percent as compared to the same period dients to realise favourable social ter (Q3) 2015 Performance Report which last year and 31 percent over the same Four Palestinians shot and economic returns, including shows eight percent increase in visitor period in 2013. According to the Report, a population with high disposable numbers in the period as compared to the hotel and hotel apartments data showed a income, a strong and secure ICT same period of 2014. positive performance with especially high (information and communica- The Report shows that four-star hotels occupancy rates in four-star hotels and dead as unrest rages tion technology) infrastructure, and standard hotel apartments saw high- standard hotel apartments. and a highly connected society,” est occupancy rates in the period. Hotel apartments witnessed higher HEBRON: Four Palestinians were shot outside a border guard base before being shot said ictQatar in a recent note. “In Occupancy rates in all categories of occupancy rates with an average of 76 dead and a fifth wounded in attacks on dead by her would-be victim, Israeli police fact, Qatar has the potential of hotels was 71 percent, holding steady from percent occupancy as compared to 71 Israelis in east Jerusalem and the West said. And a Palestinian was shot after stab- doubling its forecast e-commerce the same period (January to September) percent for hotel properties. Bank yesterday, as violence that has fuelled bing and moderately wounding a soldier, the market size by leveraging the large of last year. As compared to last year, the average concerns of an uprising showed no let-up. army reported, without saying whether the investments in ICT, the growth in This, despite the fact that 15 new hotels room rate decreased for four, two and Three of yesterday’s attacks took place attacker was killed. the SME sector, and the ongoing opened their doors to guests after that, one-star hotels and increased for three in the West Bank city of Hebron, where In east Jerusalem, a Palestinian tried to investments in the logistics sector,” or in the period under review (January and five-star hotels. some 500 Jewish settlers live in a guarded stab a soldier at a checkpoint in East Talpiot it added. E-commerce is relatively to September 2015). “The Report reflects healthy develop- enclave in the city centre surrounded by but was shot dead by other soldiers. limited in Qatar as the concept of The QTA is intensifying efforts to capi- ment of the tourism sector and is proof nearly 200,000 Palestinians. A fourth was at And a border guard killed a Palestinian online payment and online trade talise on this growth through increased that Qatar is on track to achieve its a checkpoint in a Jewish settlement neigh- who tried to knife him at the Qalandiya is comparatively new to residents regional and global marketing activity, objective of transforming itself into an bourhood of Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, checkpoint between Jerusalem and the West here. However, going forward high diversifying Qatar’s tourism products and attractive tourist destination for regional and a fifth at another checkpoint. In the first Bank, police said. Meanwhile, in the Gaza penetration internet will work in services and attracting investments to the and international visitors,” said Hassan Hebron incident, a Palestinian tried to stab Strip, army gunfire on the border wounded favour of fuelling the growth of sector. Tourist arrivals from other GCC Abdul Rahman Al Ibrahim, Chief Tourism a settler before his intended victim, who was at least four civilians, according to the e-commerce. countries rose an incredible 22 percent Development Officer at QTA. unharmed, shot him dead, the army said. enclave’s health minister Ashraf Al Qudra. Continued on page 2 in the period (Jan to Sept) over the same In the second attack, a Palestinian girl period in 2014. Nationals of Saudi Arabia THE PENINSULA attempted to stab a female Israeli soldier AFP THE PENINSULA Al Attiyah wins MERC title UN threatens Yemen govt invited to UN peace talks sanctions over RIYADH: The Yemeni govern- tary General Jan Eliasson said and for them to lay down their blocking Libya ment has been invited to take he hoped new talks between the arms. part in a new round of UN-bro- Yemeni government and Iran- President Abdrabuh Mansur kered talks with rebels to end the backed Houthi rebels could start Hadi has held talks with Ban in peace deal country’s seven-month-old con- this month despite “deep distrust” past days to discuss “preparation flict, spokesman Rajih Badi said between the warring parties. for consultations to end the blood- UNITED NATIONS: The yesterday. Badi said that “until now, there shed”, sabanew.net reported. UN Security Council yesterday “We have received an invita- has been no agreement on the A first attempt to hold peace threatened to impose sanctions tion from UN Secretary General venue or a specific date” for the talks in Geneva in June between on those who block a peace deal Ban Ki-moon, via his envoy Ismail consultations. the pro-government forces and for Libya that has run into hur- Ould Cheikh Ahmed, to hold a But he told the pro-government Houthi rebels collapsed without dles over the formation of a unity new round of consultations with news agency sabanew.net that the warring parties even sitting government. the Houthis and (rebel-allied the government will “officially down in the same room. Last UN envoy Bernardino Leon former strongman) Ali Abdullah respond to the UN invitation month, Hadi’s government backed has put forward proposals for Qatar rally legend Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah celebrates after winning Saleh to implement UN Resolu- within the next 48 hours”. away from UN-sponsored talks the power-sharing government, his 11th Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) title in 13 years with tion 2216,” Badi told AFP. Resolution 2216 calls for the that were to be held in Oman. but both Libya’s internationally an emphatic win in the Jordan Rally, round six of the series, which The announcement comes two withdrawal of rebel forces from recognised parliament and the finished with the stunning backdrop of the Dead Sea yesterday. days after UN Deputy Secre- territories they have captured AFP Islamist-backed assembly have Report on page 32 balked at the appointments. Libya has had two administra- Biggest Pink Ribbon tions since August 2014, when a militia alliance that includes Islamists overran the capital, 12 migrants drown off Turkey forcing the internationally recog- nised government to take refuge in the east of the country. AYVACIK, TURKEY: Twelve announcement saying a boat car- this week to offer Turkey cash, Security Council members said migrants thought to be from rying Syrian migrants had sunk easier visa terms and a “re-ener- the “Libya sanctions committee Syria and Afghanistan, includ- ..