(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) KUWAIT, Oct 30 (KUNA) -- Kuwaiti Minister of Information and Culture and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi said Thursday that pan-Gulf tourism integration is essential to make the most of shared potential.
"We believe that Gulf tourism integration is our gateway to maximizing utilization of our common potential, achieving sustainable growth and diversifying our income sources in a way that promotes our region's position on the global map," Al-Mutairi said during a visual meeting of GCC tourism ministers.
"The meeting reflects our wise leaderships' great attention to the tourism sector as one of the pillars of economic and social development in the GCC countries, and as a bridge of deeper cultural and human communication between the peoples of the region and the world," said the minister, who chaired the pan-GCC event.
He conveyed the greetings of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, hoping that this gathering could lead to bolstering joint Gulf cooperation and stepping up tourism integration efforts.
He thanked the UAE for requesting the holding of this joint meeting and its keenness on cementing pan-GCC cooperation and coordination ahead of the 26th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), thus unifying the Gulf countries' stances and strengthening their presence in this international event.
The minister, further, affirmed Kuwait's support to Sheikha Al-Nowais' nomination to the post of secretary-general of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for 2026-2029, regarding this nomination as reflecting honorable Gulf presence and influence in the international arena.
He also commended Saudi Arabia's great efforts in hosting the 26th session of the UNWTO General Assembly as a watershed in the history of Gulf tourism diplomacy.
The Kuwaiti minister also appreciated Bahrain's hosting of the "Gateway Gulf" as a pioneering pan-Gulf platform of dialogue and economic, investment and tourism cooperation in order to promote integration, develop strategic partnerships and share successful expertise. (end)
mdm

MENAFN30102025000071011013ID1110271195