A tradition expanding beyond the Gulf
Across the Gulf, perfume is more than a luxury. Fragrance has long been part of everyday life, hospitality and religious traditions, with oud, bukhoor, musk, rose and amber among the region's most recognisable scents. That culture is showcased twice a year at Teeb Al Hazm in Doha, where perfume houses present everything from traditional oud blends to contemporary fragrances inspired by regional ingredients.
Now, organisers say the festival is preparing to take that experience beyond the region with its first European edition in London.
From Doha to London
Unlike many perfume exhibitions centred on individual brands, Teeb Al Hazm brings together fragrance houses from around the Middle East, allowing visitors to compare a wide range of styles in one place. While traditional oud remains at the heart of many collections, newer perfume houses are blending regional ingredients with more contemporary fragrance trends. Oud, derived from resin formed naturally in agarwood trees, has been prized throughout the Middle East for centuries. It is often paired with bukhoor – scented woodchips burned in homes and during gatherings – as part of Gulf hospitality and everyday customs.
Speaking to Euronews, Al Hazm Mall CEO Mohamed Al-Emady said the growing reputation of Gulf fragrances had encouraged organisers to expand the festival abroad.
"The next step is London. It's the first time Teeb Al Hazm will be in Europe. It will be the first edition in London, but we are already in the Gulf. We did in Abu Dhabi, we are going to Riyadh, and the third one will be London."
A busy 13th edition
The latest edition marked the festival's 13th outing and drew exhibitors and visitors from across the Gulf despite taking place at the beginning of the summer, when many residents traditionally travel abroad.
"We never expect to have this number of the traffic, this number of the people. Usually the exhibition will be busy from five," Al-Emady said, noting unusually high attendance from 10 am.
Among the returning exhibitors was Kuwaiti fragrance house Czar Perfumes, participating for the fourth time. Sales representative Ehab Fouad said, "Qatari people like perfumes. So we have good customers here."
A growing international appeal
Al-Emady also commented on the internationalisation of oud and bukhoor, saying the culture of the GCC with these fragrances has become international, with international brands trying to incorporate Arabian oud and bukhoor scents. That growing international interest is reflected in the increasing visibility of Gulf perfume houses beyond the region, as the planned London edition of Teeb Al Hazm demonstrates.