Qatar

Fresh produce suppliers to the Middle East's foodservice sector will have been buoyed by the news of a continued rise in Qatar's hotel occupancy rate.

The rate increased from 59 per cent for the first half of 2009 to 61 per cent for the first half of this year, despite the opening of several new hotels in 2010.

This improvement can be attributed to several factors, including the State's efforts to increase tourism activities and the continuous expansion of Qatar Airways into new routes, according to Business Intelligence Middle East.