The Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) has participated in the 39th meeting of the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Commission for the Middle East, held in Cairo on September 14.
Qatar was also represented at the International Conference on Tourism Safety and Security in the Middle East and North Africa, which too was held in Cairo on September 14 and 15, 2014.
The international conference discussed various issues related to crises management, the importance of establishing tourism security, and the role of legislation in attracting tourism investments and tourists.
QTA chairman Issa bin Mohamed al-Mohannadi led the Qatari delegation.
An overview of the long-term prospects of tourism developments in the world and the Mena region were given, and the participants discussed tourism opportunities and challenges the region is expected to face in the next few years.
Al Mohannadi said: “QTA participated in the meetings as part of its commitment to position Qatar on the world tourism map and benefit from the State’s membership in key tourism bodies on the regional and global levels, especially since the Middle East tourism sector has substantially grown over the past few years.
“With the number of international travellers expected to reach 134mn by 2030, Qatar is intensively investing in the local tourism infrastructure, with QTA and its partners seeking to get the largest possible share of travellers to the Middle East.”
During the meeting, the UNWTO’s work programme for 2015 was approved.
“These meetings provide us with an important opportunity to be updated on the developments and factors that push the tourism sector in the Middle East forward. The exchange of views and expertise in such meetings helps to enhance QTA’s strategy and efforts to develop the local tourism sector,” al-Mohannadi added.
QTA, in a step that coincided with the launch of its Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030, signed a co-operation agreement with UNWTO to implement the second phase of an agreement under which the two organisations work jointly to develop the Qatari tourism industry.
