·
MENA to welcome 195 million visitors by 2030
·
Between 25 million and 50 million new jobs will be required in the region
over the next decade
·
Over 20 Ministers form high profile line-up of regional leaders and
industry luminaries at Ministerial Forum
Visitors
to the MENA region will total 195 million by 2030, growing at a rate higher than
the world average, according to figures by the World Tourism Organisation
(UNWTO).
The
rapid development of the sector will form part of the discussion at the UNWTO
& ATM Ministerial Forum at the Arabian Travel Market, which is being held
from April 24-27 in Dubai World Trade Centre. The Forum returns to the show
repertoire this year, with a particular focus on the contribution of tourism to
sustainable economic growth and diversification in the MENA region.
Simon
Press, Senior Exhibition Director, ATM, said: “The Middle East has experienced
huge changes since the UNWTO Ministers Forum was last held at ATM back in 2015.
This year will reflect the pace and level of that development, uniting more
than 20 ministers with industry leaders in the MENA region to consider methods
of capitalising on tourism growth and building a sustainable ecosystem for the
sector to unlock its potential within each country’s National Agenda.
“Specific
areas of focus will include GDP growth and economic diversification, innovation,
entrepreneurship and productivity, job creation, human capital and
infrastructure development, investment and export promotion.”
“Tourism
has become a key economic activity across the region, particularly in the GCC
countries, where it is establishing itself as a pillar and key driver of the
modern ‘post–oil’ economies of those countries,” said UNWTO Secretary-General,
Taleb Rifai.
“In
addition to generating foreign exchange earnings and creating jobs, tourism
promotes trade and investment and significantly contributes to the development
of other sectors of the economy - such as construction, manufacture, retail and
financial services - and it also contributes significantly to the
socio-economic integration of countries of the MENA region,” he added.
Tourism has become an undisputed vehicle of advancing
the global economy, representing 10 per cent of the world’s GDP, 30 per cent of
services exports and one in every 11 jobs.
Press said: “Future job creation and entrepreneurship
in the regional industry will be a first priority for the Forum. The MENA-OECD
Investment Programme estimates that, in order to maintain current employment
levels, between 25 million and 50 million new jobs will be required over the
next decade, requiring an average annual growth rate of 5.5 per cent.”
The
Forum is one of a number of events in the year-long programme of activities
under the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017.
In his message on the occasion of
the Year, United Nations Secretary General, Antonio
Guterres, said: “Tourism has become a pillar of economies, a passport to
prosperity, and a transformative force for improving millions of lives. The
world can and must harness the power of tourism as we strive to carry out the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
Taking
place on Monday, 24 April from 3.30pm, at the Al Multaqua Ballroom, the Forum will
be held under the patronage of H.E. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of
Economy of the United Arab Emirates. This will follow the 42nd
meeting of the UNWTO Commission for the Middle East which is being held at 10am
in the morning.
The Forum will
address the following issues:
·
Empowering evidence based decision making and
accurate measurement of the contribution of tourism to current and future economic
growth - particularly as regards GDP, jobs and exports - and its multiplier
effect on other sectors of the economy.
·
Enhancing the contribution of domestic tourism
alongside international tourism (especially intra-regional) in delivering
sustainable economic growth from the sector.
·
Main challenges and opportunities for securing
investment in tourism (FDI and domestic investment).
·
Strategies and measures to strengthen tourism’s
resilience to external shocks.
·
Ensuring that economic growth due to tourism
leads to the sustainable and inclusive development of host communities and the
transition towards a green economy.
·
Investing in technology -
driven innovations to enhance performance and improve competitiveness.
·
Policies to promote job creation and entrepreneurship
·
Strengthening the sector’s institutional
framework, engaging and aligning key governmental role players on tourism
policy issues and targets and developing result driven partnerships with local
and international stakeholders.
For more information on Arabian
Travel Market 2017, please log on to: http://arabiantravelmarket.wtm.com/
