Hotel rates in Qatar are not raised during the summer, according to managers in the local hospitality industry. The rates are consistent with the high-quality services provided to customers and on par with the best in the industry worldwide, according to senior managers in the local hospitality industry. Most facilities in the hospitality industry in Qatar try their best to attract families during the summer with a wide choice of special packages on offer, including rooms and related facilities such as restaurants, swimming pools and fitness facilities, said senior officials. The General Manager of Shati Sultan Hotel, Majdi Khilah, said: "Rates for hotel rooms in Doha are reasonably priced compared to similar hospitality facilities in some neighbouring countries." However, due to the impact of the international market, which has witnessed a price increase in most products that are important for the hotels' activities, hotel accommodation rates may go up slightly, he said. Khilah said the excellent services provided in Qatari hotels have earned the local hospitality industry a high ranking in the international market. The hospitality market in Doha is witnessing diversification, providing customers a wider choice of hotel accommodation. Shati Sultan Hotel this summer will seek to encourage local tourism by offering several packages with five-star quality services in an effort to attract families who will not be travelling overseas and wish to spend their vacation at home. The Marketing and Sales Manager at the Four Seasons Hotel, Ashraf Alzahed, who also said hotel room rates in Doha are quite affordable said: "There is growing perception in the Middle East that hotel accommodation prices in Doha are high. But this in most cases is unjustified." "The rates for services and entertainment these hotels provide tailored to meet the requirements of all members of the family are low-priced as compared to prices in the hotel industry in the Middle East in general." The expenses for hotel rooms remain unchanged even during the summer season. But several reasonably priced packages are put on offer to attract families, thereby encouraging local and regional tourism so as to recoup from the low season in summer when no major conferences or activities take place. But the situation is completely different with regards to the rates of chalet accommodation in Qatar, which some feel tend to be extremely high during official holidays, especially in summer, keeping them beyond the reach of those with limited incomes. The Pen

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