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Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) has launched the second phase of QTA’s co-operation agreement with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). UNWTO Secretary General Dr Taleb Rifai and QTA Chairman Issa bin Mohammed al- Mohannadi attended the ceremony on Monday. |
Signed in mid-2013, the cooperation agreement between QTA and UNWTO is aimed at developing the necessary policies, regulations, and strategies to take Qatar’s tourism industry into the future.
Al-Mohannadi said: “QTA is making extensive efforts to make Qatar a leading tourist destination and develop world-class standards for local tourism. The launch of the second phase of the agreement with UNWTO demonstrates our co-operation with local and foreign stakeholders to develop the tourism sector.”
According to the QTA chairman, the second phase of the agreement covers crucial aspects such as entry visas, regional development programmes and training and technical support for tour operators. It also covers tourism marketing, promotion and management, and training programmes for QTA employees in cooperation with UNWTO.
The agreement will also lead to the development of a tourism statistics system to develop data collection mechanisms that will better reflect the sector’s development in the coming years.
Under the cooperation agreement QTA and the UNWTO will work together to update and develop processes based on the highest international standards and within the framework of a set of laws, benchmarks, and conduct rules for all tourism products and services.
Furthermore, as part of the agreement, a policy framework and several sustainability index tools will also be provided. In addition, fresh guidelines on policies will be issued and new laws relating to investment in Qatar’s tourism sector will also be implemented.
Meanwhile, 24 companies from the tourism industry in Qatar signed a commitment to the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism on Monday. The Global Code of Ethics for Tourism will play a key role in developing the tourism sector as a vital contributor to the national economy.
The ceremony comes as a result of QTA’s campaign over the past months urging tourism stakeholders to sign the code as part of several joint initiatives with the UNWTO. Widespread endorsement of the code is essential to ensure that the Qatari tourism sector meets the highest international standards and offers world class products and services.
The Global Code of Ethics for Tourism is UNWTO’s core policy document that serves as a blueprint for the development of sustainable tourism. It is intended to guide the development of tourism in a way that maximises the socio-economic benefits to the sector, while mitigating any negative impacts on society. As of November 2013, 187 tourism associations across the world have signed the code.
