HURGHADA, 26th March, 2017 (WAM) -- The UAE has participated in the 9th Arab Tourism Media Summit, held in Egypt at the Arab League headquarters, with the participation of 15 Arab countries.
On the sidelines of the summit, the elections of the Arab Centre for Tourism Media, ACTM, took place for the new cycle that runs biennially. The board members elected Dr. Sultan Al Yahyaei as Chairman of the ACTM.
The Arab Tourism Media Summit, which was sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, the General Authority for Tourism Development and Hurghada Governorate, included many activities that took place for the first time, including academic activities to discuss sustainable development in the tourism sector.
The head of UAE delegation, Hussain Ali Al Manaei, former Chairman of the Arab Centre for Tourism Media, said that the summit took place at the Arab League as a message to specialised tourism media to constantly work to stimulate and support the Arab tourism, specifically in Egypt.
He then highlighted the importance of the centre in tourism work through launching a number of tourism media centres in many Arab countries, in co-operation with tourism authorities.
During the summit, Al Manaei also announced the creation of two awards, the first being dedicated to cultural tourism, and the second to environmental tourism.
Major General Ahmed Abdullah, Governor of the Red Sea in Egypt, discussed the necessity of encouraging all forms of tourism in Arab countries, by convincing Arab tourists to visit Arab countries.
He added that therapeutic tourism can be attained at highly-competitive prices in Arab countries, while requesting that the Arab media should perform its role in marketing Arab tourism and its work in highlighting its qualities, to attract more tourists to Arab countries.
Dr. Sultan Al Yahyaei, Chairman of the Omani Centre for Tourism Media, said that hosting the summit for nine consecutive years in Egypt highlights its considerable tourism stature, and that the improved state of Egypt's tourism is also good for Arab tourism.