Shipments of furniture from Türkiye to Qatar boomed this year in what is said to have been driven by the Gulf state’s efforts to boost its accommodation units to be able to house football fans for the upcoming World Cup.
Set to be the first Middle Eastern nation to host the World Cup, Qatar hopes to attract 1.2 million visitors, nearly half of its population, for the 28-day tournament that will run from Nov. 20 through Dec. 18.
In addition to a construction frenzy, Qatar has had to boost its non-hotel accommodation. It has installed pre-fabricated "fan villages," will pitch tents and will provide cruise ships and shared villas and apartments to secure accommodation.
Türkiye’s overall exports to Qatar jumped nearly 53% year-over-year in the January-October period of this year to $1.25 billion, according to official data.
Shipments were in part driven by sales of furniture, paper and forestry products that nearly doubled in the 10-month period, the data showed.
Sector representatives attribute the 98.4% year-over-year increase in exports to the demand for furniture necessary for the accommodation facilities that will be hosting visitors descending in Qatar during the World Cup.
"The increase (in exports) started last year. The momentum continued this year. We are talking about a figure that has reached $153 million in 10 months," said Ahmet Güleç, chair of the Federation of Furniture Associations (MOSFED).
"The furniture of the newly built properties went from Türkiye. There is a Turkish mark on part of the furniture that will be used by world-famous football stars, referees and football authorities," Güleç told Anadolu Agency (AA).
Güleç’s remarks were echoed by Furniture Industry Businessmen Association (MOBSAD) head Nuri Gürcan, who also said the industry managed to maintain exports despite global risks of recession by boosting sales to alternatives markets such as India, Nigeria and countries from Latin America.
Gürcan said shipments to Qatar had gained a significant pace this year, driven by sales of furniture.
"A decade ago, Qatar was 257th in the ranking of the countries we make exports. Although the population did not increase over the said time, Türkiye’s exports to the country continued to increase," said Gürcan.
"The increase reached 98.4% in the 10 months of this year and Qatar ranked 14th among the markets where we export furniture the most. The 2022 FIFA World Cup is the biggest reason behind this year-to-date increase," he added.
Citing the expected influx of visitors, Gürcan said more than 100 hotels had been put into service, in addition to the renovation of the existing accommodation facilities.
"For this reason, we have continuously exported furniture. Here we can talk about both our own connections and the influence of Turkish contracting companies. At the same time, we have had intensive contact with eating and drinking places other than hotels."
New investments have gained momentum as many restaurants and businesses have been renovated due to the tournament, while many new venues have been opened, said Koray Çalışkan, head of Modoko, Türkiye’s oldest furniture showroom.
This, Çalışkan said, has driven the increase in exports he says they estimate would reach $200 million by the end of this year and $300 million in 2023.