DOHA: Many nationals have urged Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) to increase the number of stalls allocated for individual exhibitions, of which there are 15 now.
They have also called for a review of the decision to allow exhibitions only by nationals and want other GCC citizens also to be given the opportunity.
Organisers of such exhibitions are facing financial losses because of the limited number of stands allowed and the huge amounts they pay for halls in hotels, which cost not less than QR25,000 a day, a Qatari businesswoman told Al Raya.
She said increasing the number of stands would help organisers of individual exhibitions, Qatari businesswomen in particular, adding it was important for the authorities to support Qatari businesswomen in organising exhibitions, with the number of GCC tourists increasing.
Not allowing other GCC citizens to participate in such shows limits the profits, said the Qatari businesswoman, who is an expo organiser. She said she had lost a large amount of money because of QTA not allowing businesswomen from other GCC states to take part in expos.
She had booked a hall in a five-star hotel and paid half the amount for an exhibition scheduled next month in which GCC businesswomen had booked space to display their products. Unfortunately, it was not approved, so she had to give back the money to the participants, but the payment to the hotel could not be refunded and she was unable to find other local exhibitors to take over the stands.
Under the rules, the organiser of the expo must apply at least a month before the event. The organiser must also be registered at the Ministry of Economy and Commerce and authorised to organise exhibitions. The same organiser cannot hold two exhibitions at the same time.
It is also not permitted to have more than 15 stands, and the maximum area of each stand is three by three metres. The organisers must also comply with all safety and security conditions.
The organisers can organise expos only three times a year and each expo must run for a maximum of six days. The period of time between two expos should be at least 90 days and the venue must be approved by the government for such an event.
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