Sharjah Travel Industry Advisory Committee held its first meeting for 2008, to discuss the latest developments in the tourism and marketing sector and the planned foreign appearances for the emirate’s delegates throughout 2008.
This year will see a healthy presence for the emirate in several of the most significant international tourism and commerce expos, international economic meetings and other events; all of which are included in the authority’s plans and visions to develop the tourism sector and the emirate’s ongoing strategies.
The meeting was headed by Mr. Mohamed A. Al Noman, Director General of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), and attended by the tourism sector’s representatives, where they discussed ways in which the emirate’s tourism sector could be supported and strengthened.
Mr. Mohamed A. Al Noman welcomed the attendees, including hotel, travel and tourism representatives, as well as representatives from Sharjah Expo center. He conveyed to them the compliments of Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Bin Sultan Al Qassimi, Chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, and his Excellency keenness to hold this meeting in support of developing this vital sector of the emirate.
Al Noman briefly discussed the minutes of the previous meeting and then glanced through the authority’s local and international agenda of participations during 2008, and discussed with the attendees new suggestions for a number of important tourism and commerce events, and the importance of participating in these by widening Sharjah’s marketing activities locally, regionally and internationally to present the Emirate as the right place for tourism and investment.
Al Noman stressed that the SCTDA’s involvement in local, regional and international events are based on feasibility studies and constructive suggestions from the advisory committee. The attendance of so many key individuals and organizations from Sharjah’s tourism industry underlined the significance of the emirate’s plans for the coming twelve months, which include debuts in new international markets.
The meeting also discussed the latest evolution related to the emirate’s hotel classifications, where the Authority’s Director General stated that implementation of the hotel classification project will begin in the first quarter of 2008.
Al Noman revealed that the SCTDA intends to sign a series of agreements with PR agencies in Scandinavian states, similar to those signed recently with PR agencies in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, and to activate ways to promote the emirate’s tourist attractions in those countries that are considered as the most prominent exporters of tourists to Sharjah.
The meeting discussed the SCTDA’s success in developing a number of premier activities that are host in the emirate, such as President’s Cup Formula 200 Championship, held at Khorfakkan. The authority has transformed the race into a sporting festival that includes a number of exciting activities with the aim to promote the Eastern region, especially Khorfakkan.
Al Noman added that the SCTDA plans to organize a family oriented, entertaining festival in Kalba, as a part of this year’s promotional strategy to enhance the tourism sector in the Eastern region.
The meeting discussed a number of issues concerning means to expand Sharjah’s the promotional activities regionally and internationally, and develop the necessary schemes in this regard. Al Noman stressed on the importance of maximizing synergy between Public and Private Sectors.
Al Noman reiterated the significance of activating tourism through conferences and exhibitions, by participating in industrial exhibitions and plan to host conferences and exhibitions by developing the infrastructure.
ameinfo.com
