The Ministry of Tourism is set to host the 19th Ministerial Meeting for Arab Tourism in Oman from 13 to 14 December 2016, in Oman. The two-day event will see the presence of several Tourism Ministers, Undersecretaries, VIP dignitaries from the region, as well as representatives from the World Tourism Organisation who will come together to discuss a number of important topics and developments in the field of tourism to drive this promising sector.
Talking about the meeting, HE Ahmed Bin Nasser Al Mahrizi, Minister of Tourism, said: “This event will focus on strengthening the relations between the Arab countries and give a boost to the tourism sector. Such efforts will go a long way in bringing more tourists into the Arab countries, not just from all over the world but even within the various countries in the region.”
“We will also look into the challenges that hinder the process of making tourism a sustainable sector as it is one of the key pillars of our economy. A booming tourism can contribute significantly to the GDP and create job opportunities as outlined in the 2040 Tourism Strategy,” HE added.
HE Nasser Al Mahrizi pointed out that this event would reinforce the Sultanate’s capability in organizing and hosting an event of this stature, and other similar events and exhibitions – an indication that the Ministry of Tourism supports the introduction of progressive legislations and policies to attract foreigner investment.
Representatives from the League of Arab States, World Tourism Organisation, the Arab Tourism Organisation and Arab Center for Media Tourism will be attending the event as well as a number of dignitaries from Arab countries and media organisations. The discussions will include the development of the Arab Tourism Strategy as well as the quality standards of tour operators and media vendors. A panel will also discuss the statistics available and ways to collate data from different hotels to utilize them in future strategies.
Prior to the event, an Executive Office Meeting will be held on 13 December 2016. The agenda promises to discuss a series of elements, recommendations and proposals such as “Businesswomen Incubators for tourism projects” that will contribute to driving tourism and change the future of sector in the region.