Qetaifan Projects Company, a subsidiary of Katara Hospitality which was established to develop and manage Qetaifan Island North, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Rixos Hotels to manage and operate the hotels, the souq, the water park and the beach club in the destination.

The deal was signed by sheikh Nawaf bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani, chairman of Katara Hospitality, and Fettah Tamince, founder and chairman of the Rixos Hotels.

Qetaifan Projects was established due to the increasing demand for high quality tourism facilities and the need to develop more in this sector.

It will develop and operate Qetaifan Island North to commensurate the high standards of Katara Hospitality.

On this occasion, sheikh Nawaf Bin Jassim Bin Jabor Al-Thani, chairman of Katara Hospitality, said: “This agreement marks Rixos Hotels brand’s first property in Qatar.

“As we strengthen our vision to change the world of hospitality through investment and innovation to leave an outstanding legacy for future generations, in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030, we see this as testament to Qatar’s robust tourism strategy and its reputation as a key player of the country’s hospitality industry aiming to create a safe and sustainable investment that will carry the name of the State of Qatar.”

He added: “We are confident the ethos of Rixos Hotels brand is a strategic fit for our development project of Qetaifan Island North as it is important that we have an operator which understands and respects this unique destination, ensuring it occupies its rightful position in the local and global market-places.”

This is the first memorandum of understanding by the Rixos Hotels chain in Qatar.

The Rixos partnership with AccorHotels has added weight to the rapid growth of the Rixos Hotels on the regional and international levels.

Tamince added: “Discovering new destinations has been always a challenging target throughout the journey of Rixos since we established the brand in 2000.

“We are certain that with every new destination our horizon will broaden on our way to becoming a global brand. So far, Rixos flag is waving in three continents and seven countries.

“We are proud of offering our services with our own brand now in Qatar, and we appreciate very much to be part of a mission for providing added value to the tourism of this wonderful country.

“I would like to stress that we will be driven by the same mission in Qatar through this partnership with Qetaifan Projects.

“We value the confidence and trust our partners have in our group and take this opportunity to expand our hospitality portfolio in this region.”

Established in 2000, the series offers five-star luxury accommodation in 25 hotels, 17 of which are operated as waterfront resorts.

The hotel chain manages more than 9,000 rooms located in 7 different countries and employs about 10,000 employees.

The Rixos Hotels chain - which is considered Turkey’s Leading Hospitality Development Company by the World Travel Awards - embodies traditional Turkish hospitality and features unique health treatment clubs in the finest surroundings and luxurious ambiance.

Qetaifan Island North development is part of Lusail city with seven beaches, making it a distinctive waterfront of the city.

The island has an area of 1.3 million square meters, and the island’s projects span approximately 830 thousand square meters.