Qatar will host the 54th edition of its 2002 conference following the victory of the country's majority vote (116 out of 126 votes) at the recently hosted conference of the Republic of Iceland.
The conference will be held every two years and will be hosted by Doha in October 2022 as the second Arab capital to host this global event and is expected to attract more than 120 participants from the International Federation to youth hostels, youth hostel officials and many travel enthusiasts around the world.
"I am delighted to travel to Qatar and have the opportunity to learn about this region known for its cultural richness," said Darren Barker, CEO of the World Youth Hostel Association.
"We are looking forward to celebrating the hospitality and exploration that the International Federation of Youth Hostels represents and welcoming hospitality experts from around the world to the conference," said Ahmed Al Obaidli, Director of Exhibitions Department at the National Tourism Council.
In preparation for the country profile, Qatari youth hostels have sought to build and develop their relationships with a number of youth organizations around the world, such as youth hostel associations and organizations in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea and the United States.
Complimentary stay
Qatar is currently participating in the International Youth Hostel Federation (Connect), a recruitment program that allows young people to stay for free at a range of International Youth Federation sites around the world, in exchange for work at the International Youth Federation's youth hostels.
In addition, Qatari youth hostels offer discounts on night accommodation for members of the International Youth Federation through membership in the organization.
Qatar hosted 99 exhibitions and 58 conferences during 2017, representing a 30% increase over the year 2015.
Qatar has also recently won the right to host the "Together Towards Better Health" conference in 2020, as well as the International Hotel Receptionists Conference and the International Goldkey Conference in 2021.
The International Youth Hostel Federation has more than 70 local youth hostel associations in more than 80 countries around the world.