Gulf Cooperation Council Countries Emphasize the Importance of Tourism in Enhancing Regional Economies: A Dialogue at the Arabian Travel Market 2024
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are set to enhance their role in the region’s economies by developing their tourism sector. This was the focus of a dialogue session held at the Arabian Travel Market 2024 exhibition in Dubai, organized by the Ministry of Economy. The session, held in collaboration with REED Company, brought together industry leaders and experts from regional and global travel and tourism sectors to discuss initiatives for promoting tourism destinations in GCC countries.
Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of the Emirates Tourism Council, emphasized the growth of the tourism sector in the UAE and its significant contribution to the country’s economy. He highlighted the upcoming unified Gulf tourist visa project as a step towards enhancing regional tourism cooperation.
During the session, discussions covered various topics related to developing tourism in GCC countries. These included exploring opportunities arising from the unified Gulf visa, promoting education programs that prepare professionals for careers in tourism, and enhancing cooperation between GCC countries to enrich visitors’ experiences.
The aim is to promote tourism destinations across all GCC countries while coordinating marketing campaigns for Gulf tourist areas to boost sector growth. According to statistics from 2021, the tourism sector made a significant contribution to GDP in GCC countries. It attracted international tourists while creating employment opportunities across hotel establishments in these regions.
Overall, this dialogue session highlighted the importance of joint efforts and collaboration in developing sustainable growth for tourism industries across GCC countries while promoting economic integration in the region.
