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Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qasimi hosted the Sharjah International Tourism Forum at the Sharjah Expo Center on Thursday.
bay today, Journalist
Under the patronage of Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated the 9th Sharjah International Travel and Tourism Forum 2022, at the Economic Minister Abdullah Bin Touq Al-Marri was present. Themed ‘Building a Sustainable Future for Tourism’, the event was organized by the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) at the Sharjah Expo Centre.
In his keynote address, Minister of Economy Abdullah Bin Touq Al-Marri highlighted that the UAE has developed tourism infrastructure and diversified the sector, as part of the National Tourism Strategy 2031 launched by Vice President His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum This is further reinforced by the President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The implementation of the strategy aims to strengthen the UAE’s position as the world’s most attractive tourist destination through the diversity and unique strengths of the seven emirates.
Abdullah Bin Touq Al-Marri noted that his ministry is working with local and federal partners working on tourism, including airlines, the World Tourism Organization, and others. They aim to implement 25 tourism initiatives and policies aimed at increasing tourism’s contribution to the country’s GDP by AED450 billion by 2031. The strategic plan attracts tourism investment worth AED100 billion and brings 400,000 hotel guests to the region.
The minister also shed light on the UAE’s leading achievements in tourism, noting that according to the Tourism Competitiveness Index 2021, the UAE ranks first in the Middle East and 25th internationally. Ranked 11th among the world’s most attractive destinations in 2020, the UAE has maintained its position as one of the world’s top 12 destinations attracting more than 10 million tourists annually for more than 10 years. Tourism’s overall contribution to GPD is worth AED 177 billion.
Khalid Jassim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, highlighted Sharjah’s keenness to work with all partners in different vital sectors to develop a strategic plan aimed at developing tourism in the emirate. He noted that it is important to invest all available resources to enhance Sharjah’s position on the global tourism map, in line with the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. The emirate has a diverse portfolio of tourism destinations and quality developments, especially in ecotourism and adventure.
Al Midfa said the tourism industry has proven its resilience and ability to adapt to global changes, noting that the UAE is aware of the importance of tourism as a major economic contributor to the national economy and its impact on people’s lives. Building on the diversity of the seven emirates, the UAE has enhanced its tourism offering, thereby increasing its attractiveness, he added, noting that tourism accounts for 12 percent of the UAE’s GDP compared to a global rate of 10 percent, which is A strong testament to the UAE’s pioneering status in tourism.
Gillame Masset, Expedia’s senior business development manager in the UAE and Africa, gave a presentation where he discussed how his company partnered with Wakefield Research to collect more than 70 exabytes of data, which is used to connect entities such as booking agents and hotels with rights Get together and analyze your customers’ intent, interests, and budgetary requirements. Massey noted that raising community awareness among tourists of the importance of sustainable development has made it imperative for government officials and tourism experts to work with tourism companies to promote sustainable development, as it promises a more developed and eco-friendly tourism future.
During the opening ceremony, a short film was shown about Sharjah, its main features and its diverse tourist attractions in the fields of environment, sports and culture.
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Sheikh of Sharjah, presented awards to sponsors, partners and guest speakers at the forum and took a group photo. He then visited exhibitions involving several government entities and explored their tourism programs, attractions, initiatives and their impact on the emirate’s economy.
In its conferences and seminars, the Sharjah International Tourism and Travel Forum 2022 discusses innovations and trends in global tourism, as well as its vision for the future of tourism in Sharjah and the region. It also discussed best innovative practices and exchanged ideas and visions with a wide range of policy makers and tourism experts from around the world to develop tourism projects and services and promote sustainable tourism.
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