Sharjah aims to establish itself as a significant player in the global tourism market, highlighting its competitive and innovative edge in the sustainable eco-tourism industry…reports Asian Lite News
Sharjah is preparing to exhibit its flourishing sustainable eco-tourism sector at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023, which will take place from May 1st to 4th, 2023, at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The event will focus on sustainability in the travel and tourism industry under the theme “Working Towards Net Zero.”
Sharjah aims to establish itself as a significant player in the global tourism market, highlighting its competitive and innovative edge in the sustainable eco-tourism industry and seeking new collaborative opportunities with other global tourism destinations. The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) will supervise the emirate’s pavilion, which will showcase the offerings of 20 Sharjah Government and private entities. These include Sharjah International Airport, Sharjah Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA), Sharjah Institute for Heritage (SIOH), Sharjah Department of Awqaf (Awqaf), as well as Sharjah Sports Council, Sharjah Classic Cars Club, and BEEAH Group.
Numerous private entities from the tourism, travel, and hospitality sector will also participate in the Sharjah pavilion. The SCTDA will hold a press conference at the Sharjah Pavilion, located at ME2210 in Hall 2, on May 3rd at 12:00 PM, where the latest developments in tourism projects, programmes, initiatives, and activities aimed at boosting the tourism sector in the emirate will be announced by Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, and other officials from participating entities.
Commenting on the participation, Al Midfa said, “Our participation in ATM 2023 comes as the emirate’s tourism sector is experiencing a boom which was reflected in hotel occupancy rates. The sector registered a 16 percent growth in hotel guest numbers last year, reaching a total of 1.4 million hotel guests, while the hotel occupancy rate reached 66 percent, supported by the diversity of destinations and experiences offered by the emirate to its visitors.”
He added, “ATM’s sustainability pledge and the event’s focus on exploring sustainability in travel aligns with Sharjah’s commitment to a more sustainable future, expanding its ecotourism destinations and further investing in this sector, which is becoming increasingly popular among tourists who prefer these types of destinations. We expect it to have a prosperous future among other tourism sectors in Sharjah.”
Sharjah’s tourism sector growth was particularly evident in the 161 percent increase in the number of GCC visitors in 2022 compared to 2021, mainly from Oman and Saudi Arabia, in addition to other countries from Asia and Europe. This signs a promisingly strong recovery in the tourism and travel industry after the pandemic, with restrictions and precautions being lifted. The sector is expected to see continued growth in the next two years.