DOHA: Event managers and, arguably hotels, restaurants and other tourism facilities as well, will now have to seek approval from the Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) to put street hoardings or buy such space for promotions.
The State Cabinet yesterday approved a proposal to empower the QTA to take charge of advertisements (hoardings) that are put up by event managers announcing shows, and exhibition organisers publicising their event.
A law passed earlier this year stripped Q-Media of near-monopoly rights over the street hoarding business as well as over commercial advertisement business for other publicity avenues like Qatar Radio and TV and Aljazeera TV Channel.
The legislation instead authorises the municipalities to approve and monitor the street hoarding activity barring a few places like the airport and sports stadiums, among others.
According to Qatar News Agency (QNA), the authority to approve and organise street hoardings promoting events and tourist activities is now being assigned to the QTA. Municipalities will have no control over such hoardings. The QNA report didn’t name the hospitality industry but since its activities are related to tourism, it is presumed that hotels and restaurants promoting food festivals and special events might also have to approach the QTA for approval to put up street hoardings.
According to the new legislation, Qatar’s Civil Aviation Authority has the right to give away hoarding rights to advertisers at its facilities, including the Doha International Airport.
Likewise, the Qatar Media Corporation has been authorised to take care of advertisement rights for the audio-visual media. Qatar’s Olympic Committee, on the other hand, has been empowered to decide hoarding rights for its facilities that include stadiums as well.
Qatar Posts has similarly been vested with the authority to approve commercial advertisements meant for its printed materials. Q-Media enjoyed a near-monopoly for eight years over the hoarding and the overall advertisement business, including those meant for the audio-visual media in the country.
The Peninsula
