— Qatar Airways and Katara Hospitality, a hospitality and tourism investment agency,
eye Costa Rica’s market.

Costa Rican Foreign Minister Manuel A. González Sanz met Monday with representatives of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce, the Investment Authority – also known as the Sovereign Fund of Qatar, and members of the Qatar Development Fund, said the Foreign Ministry’s press office.

On this second visit to Qatar this year (the first was in February), this time to speak at the 2017 Doha Development Round, González Sanz advanced Costa Rica’s diplomatic and trade agenda with the Middle Eastern nation.

The Qatar Chamber of Commerce represents some 50,000 associates. Qatar Vice-President Mohammed Ahmed Al-Kawaii and Secretary-General Nohammed bin Ahmed Al Obaidy accompanied González Sanz on his meeting with private business leaders to discuss the “role of private enterprise as an indispensable component for the consolidation and strengthening of relations between the two countries,” said the ministry.

The Costa Rican delegation extended a formal invitation to their Qatari counterparts to send a trade mission to Costa Rica, saying Costa Rica’s business chambers view Qatar as an ally and potential partner.

Likewise, Qatar business leaders offered to host their Costa Rican counterparts at a seminar or workshop to guide them on entering the Qatar market.

On his Qatar tour, the minister also held a working meeting with Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al-Baker with whom he discussed the region’s connectivity possibilities and the airline’s possible expansion in the region. Costa Rica recently eliminated visa requirements for Qataris.

 

Finally, Minister González met with Andrew Humphries, chief operating officer of Katara Hospitality, the investment arm of the hotel and tourism services industry.

Katara has a number of highly recognized hotels worldwide, such as the Intercontinental Chain and Regis, and the two analyzed a possible tourist investment in Costa Rica by Qatar.

Humphries said the meeting was timed very well as the company is currently analyzing possible expansions, and welcomed information on hotel opportunities in Costa Rica.

The Doha Development Round or Doha Development Agenda (DDA) is a trade-negotiation round of the World Trade Organization(WTO) which commenced in November 2001. Its stated objective is to lower trade barriers around the world, and thus facilitate increased global trade, said Wikipedia.

In his talk at the round, Minister González Sanz emphasized that Costa Rica’s economic model has been relatively more successful than others in facing the current economic crisis. He stressed that key parts of the country’s vision are Costa Rica’s commitment to renewable energies and continued economic diversification; this is done by seeking new market niches, which has led them to venture into the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the Caucasus.