Katara Hospitality has been named the World’s Leading Hospitality Company at the Grand Final of the prestigious 2013 World Travel Awards, beating off stiff competition from global hotel companies.

Katara Hospitality, which owns, develops and operates hotels in Qatar and around the world, received the distinction at the Awards’ 20th anniversary event, held this year in Doha.

Sheikh Nawaf Bin Jassim Bin Jabour Al-Thani, chairman, Katara Hospitality, stated on the occasion: “We are pleased and humbled to win this award.  Pleased, as it is a public recognition of the strides we are taking towards our goal of being the leading global player in hospitality and humbled, as the list of nominees provides a roll-call of the industry’s strongest companies.”

Hamad Abdulla Al Mulla, chief executive, Katara Hospitality, accepted the award.

He said: “I accept this award on behalf of the thousands of employees of Katara Hospitality and our properties, here in Doha and around the world.

“It is thanks to their focus, hard work and dedication to the highest standards, that we are able to receive this accolade.”

Katara Hospitality has 23 properties in operation or under development, with more than 5,500 rooms.

Operational hotels include iconic properties such as Raffles Singapore, Le Royal Monceau-Raffles - Paris, Schweizerhof Bern or the Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, Doha while it has projects under development in locations including Italy, Switzerland, Morocco, The Comoros and the Maldives. 

Established more than 40 years ago as Qatar National Hotels, the company rebranded to Katara Hospitality in 2012.