December 16 2019  |  Retailers

Qatar Duty celebrates the opening of the iconic Harrods Tea Room at Hamad International Airport

By Hibah Noor


The Harrods Tea Room offers travelers a wide range of Harrods specialties including an impressive selection of teas from Harrods Food Halls; H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani and a number of other VVIPs attended the opening at Hamad International Airport

Qatar Duty Free (QDF) and Harrods celebrated the opening of the Harrods Tea Room at Hamad International Airport (HIA) on December 12. HIA is the first airport in the world to house a Harrods Tea Room, adding to the existing portfolio of two Harrods signature stores at the state-of-the-art, award-winning airport.

The inauguration of the Harrods Tea Room was attended by H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani and officiated by Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, HIA Chief Operating Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al Meer, Harrods Director, Mr. Raj Assanand, and Qatar Duty Free Vice President Operations, Mr. Thabet Musleh. H.E. Mr. Ajay Sharma, British Ambassador to Qatar was also in attendance, alongside VIP guests and officials including dignitaries and senior representatives from Qatar Investment Authority.

London Fanfare Trumpets were sounded as H.E. Mr. Akbar Al Baker cut the ribbon, officially announcing the opening of the space and guests were invited to explore the tea room and taste a delicious array of Harrods dishes including British favorites such as fish and chips and a signature Harrods Tea menu.

H.E. Mr. Akbar Al Baker says: “I am incredibly proud to be here today as Qatar Duty Free officially opens the Harrods Tea Room at HIA – a world first for an airport. Harrods is an iconic British brand that is all about the customer experience from start to finish and in this regard, it is the perfect partner for Qatar Duty Free and the wider Qatar Airways group.

With 10.7 million passengers traveling through HIA in the last quarter of 2019, the Harrods brand is already reaching an audience of substantial proportions. The new Harrods Tea Room further compliments the two Harrods signature stores already in operation in the airport.”

Mr. Raj Assanand adds: “Harrods is a London institution, but has always been global in its outlook. The new Harrods Tea Room is the next natural stage in our long relationship with HIA and Qatar Duty Free, a partnership which has allowed us to bring the Harrods experience to even more of our international customers. As one of the major gateway airports in the world, we are delighted to continue to work with HIA and Qatar Duty Free to bring the finest Harrods experiences to a new audience of global travelers.”

Mr. Thabet Musleh, shares: “To be associated with an iconic global brand that is synonymous with luxury and service is a great honor. We are delighted to officially open the Harrods Tea Room at the heart of our award-winning global hub. The Harrods Tea Room at HIA has developed bespoke dishes that fuse the much-loved English classics with unique traditional Qatari flavors.

It is very fitting that this partnership with Harrods, a Qatari owned brand, marks the first in a series of events at HIA to celebrate Qatar National Day on December 18. Across the month of December, our customers will be able to discover a special menu of Qatari inspired dishes at the Harrods Tea Room in celebration of Qatar National Day. Travelers will also be able to enjoy various performances, activities, shopping and dining offers throughout the airport.”

Inspired by its counterpart in Knightsbridge, the Harrods Tea Room is designed to boast classic style furniture with elegant curved backs and stitching details, brass finishing on tables and lighting. The space also features Herringbone timber flooring and classic traditional tiling with elements of abstract peacock theme to tie in with the London Food Hall.

The history of Harrods spans over 170 years. The world famous brand, synonymous with quality, luxury and an amazing array of merchandise, all began with tea. Harrods special relationship with tea growers continues to this day, with over 170 teas sold at the Knightsbridge Store, London.

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