High profile line-up of regional ministers of tourism and leading
industry luminaries to debate future of tourism sector in the Middle East and
North Africa; agenda focus to include facilitating travel across the region,
effective public-public and public-private partnerships; and an institutional
framework for enhanced cross-border sector co-operation
After a one-year hiatus,
Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2015 will also once again play host to Ministers of
Tourism from the MENA region at the UNWTO Ministerial Forum.
Regional industry leaders
representing the different travel and hospitality sub-sectors will join
participating ministers from the UAE, Jordan ,
Lebanon and Morocco
Taking place on Tuesday 5th May, 2015 from
1530-1800 hrs at the Al Multaqua Ballroom at Dubai International Convention
& Exhibition Centre, and held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE
Minister of Culture, Youth and Social Development and Chairman of the National
Council of Tourism and Antiquities, the forum will open with an address by UNWTO Secretary-General
Taleb Rifai.
Hosted by CNN International global news anchor, Becky
Anderson, who will moderate the afternoon’s sessions, HRH Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism
and Antiquities and HH Sheikh Nahyan Bin
Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Social Development and
Chairman of the National Council of Tourism and Antiquities, will deliver
national insight from a Saudi Arabia and UAE perspective.
Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director, Reed Travel
Exhibitions, organiser of ATM, will also be part of the opening session, which
will lead into the ministerial-meets-tourism private sector debate.
“In the two years since the last UNWTO Forum, the
region has undergone yet another shift in tourism demand and opportunity; has
weathered the storms of political unrest and economic pressures; and made
further significant strides in giving the green light to multi-million dollar
infrastructure projects that are designed to fulfil a long-term sustainable
tourism vision,” said Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director, Reed Travel
Exhibitions.
“The forum agenda will cover the full spectrum of
issues pertinent to the continued successful development of tourism economies
across the region, including the effective development and marketing of tourism products, the promotion of travel
facilitation and improved connectivity and the importance of intra-regional
investment into infrastructure, facilities and services,” he added.
Additional topics to be discussed by the panel include how to set
effective public-public and public-private partnerships in place to advance
regional co-operation and the enhancement of an institutional framework to
implement, monitor and evaluate regional tourism co-operation strategies and
initiatives.
“We are also thrilled to confirm a high profile line-up of public
and private sector speakers, each of whom brings a wealth of industry knowledge
and visionary insight to the discussion,” said Press.
Participating ministers include HE Nayef
H. Al-Fayez, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Jordan; HE Lahcen Haddad, Minister of
Tourism, Morocco; HE Michel Pharaon, Minister
of Tourism, Lebanon; and HE Mohammed
K. Al Muhairi, Director General National Council of Tourism and
Antiquities, UAE.
Representing the private sector are Antoine
Medawar, Vice-President MENA region, Amadeus; Amine Moukarzel, President, Golden
Tulip Hotels, Suites & Resorts MENA; Hussein
Dabbas, Regional Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa, International
Air Transport Association (IATA); and Gerald
Lawless, President and CEO, Jumeirah Group.
For more information on Arabian Travel Market 2015, please
log on to: www.arabiantravelmarket.com
