HE President of the Arab Tourism Organization Dr. Bandar bin Fahd Al Fuhaid praised the constant development of Qatar’s tourism sector, valuing Qatar’s role in promoting Arab joint action in that field.

In his speech during the opening session of the 3rd Arab Tourism Security Forum, which kicked off Tuesday in Doha, His Excellency said that the State of Qatar achieved significant success in 2023, represented by winning first place globally in terms of growth in the number of tourists during the first seven months of 2023, at a rate estimated at 95 percent. His Excellency congratulated Qatar on this success, which coincides with the selection of Doha as the Arab Tourism Capital for 2023.

His Excellency added that the State of Qatar’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and its remarkable success in organizing, securing, and managing crowds constituted a rich experience from which all Arab countries would benefit in organizing major international events and developing the tourism sector.

The Preside
nt of the Arab Tourism Organization expressed his gratitude to the State of Qatar for hosting the 3rd Arab Tourism Security Forum, which is organized in cooperation between the Ministry of Interior and the Council of Arab Interior Ministers, pointing to the partnership that links the organization with the council to develop the Arab tourism sector.

His Excellency indicated that the forum comes under the title “Security and Comprehensiveness of Tourist Destinations,” which is based on pillars including green tourism, governance, digital transformation, and tourism for all.

His Excellency hoped that the 3rd forum would come out with recommendations that reinforce the 2nd forum’s recommendations, which was held in Al Ahsa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Capital of Arab Tourism for 2019.

HE President of the Arab Tourism Organization Dr. Al Fuhaid stressed that security is the bedrock for developing tourism. He said that security and tourism are two sides of the same coin, where most Arab countries enjoy security
and stability, maintain the security and safety of tourists, and secure the tourism sector in general.

His Excellency pointed out the organization’s efforts to address the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that the repercussions of the pandemic were immense for the tourism sector, especially in the Arab world, where the losses exceeded more than USD 300 billion.

His Excellency stressed that the tourism sector in the Arab world has recovered by 100 percent after the pandemic, achieving an increase in inbound tourism that has so far exceeded more than 15 percent compared to the numbers recorded in 2019.

In this context, the President of the Arab Tourism Organization pointed out the organization’s role in strengthening the tourism sector’s resilience to the repercussions of the pandemic and its rapid recovery, given its significance in supporting the economy.

For his part, the director of the Arab Bureau for Security Awareness, Information, and Human Rights, Major General Osama Mohammed Khalaf,
praised choosing Doha as the Arab Tourism Capital for 2023 due to its cultural heritage, attractive tourist sites and monuments, and unparalleled development it is witnessing in various fields.

In a similar speech during the opening session, Major General Khalaf said that the State of Qatar attracted the world’s attention during the exceptional edition of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and succeeded in using the tournament to promote Arab and Islamic civilizational values, pointing out to Qatar’s success in securing the tournament.

The 3rd edition of the two-day Arab Tourism Security Forum kicked off on Tuesday under the title “Security and Comprehensiveness of Tourist Destinations,” as part of the activities of “Doha Arab Tourism Capital 2023.” The forum, which is organized in cooperation between the Ministry of Interior and the Council of Arab Interior Ministers, will include a number of Their Excellencies Arab Ministers of Tourism, senior officials from tourism security leaders, and an elite group of seni
or officials, experts, and specialists in the fields of security and tourism in the Arab world.

Source: Qatar News Agency