SCTDA to spotlight Sharjah Islamic Culture Capital celebrations at ATM

SHARJAH– The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority is looking forward to putting up a strong show at the Arabian Travel Market, Dubai, the region’s most important specialised travel and tourism exhibition and networking event to be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 5 to 8, 2014, with the Emirate highlighting various facets and special elements of its tourism experience, including the ongoing Sharjah Islamic Culture Capital 2014 celebrations.

Ahead of the ATM exhibition, the SCTDA hosted a meeting of all members and public and private sector participants of Sharjah’s contingent in order to underscore the importance of the Emirate’s 17th year of participation in the international event and to make the best of the opportunity to showcase Sharjah as a distinguished tourism and economic destination with safe investment environment.

Commenting on Sharjah’s participation in the Dubai exhibition, HE Mohamed Ali Al Noman, Chairman, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority said that the Authority is keen to participate in all local and international events and tourism industry exhibition to highlight the achievements of Sharjah in the tourism sector in terms of new projects, plans, strategies and development witnessed by the sector in the past few years.

Al Noman pointed out that the high-profile participation coincides with the celebrations of Sharjah being crowned as the Capital of Islamic Culture for Year 2014, and that the Dubai forum is an important global platform to promote the Emirate’s tourism product that is capable of competing with the best of the best and major tourism destinations around the world. “This year the special focus of Sharjah stand at ATM will be on the Sharjah Islamic Culture Capital 2014 celebrations with more than 100 special events and activities taking place in the Emirate,” he added.

“The participation in the ATM figures high on the Authority’s agenda for Year 2014 as it offers a great opportunity to highlight the significant strides Sharjah has taken on the tourism sector and new tourism and leisure projects unveiled in the past few months and years from a global platform and perspective in the presence of local and international players,” said Al Noman who will once again be leading the Emirate’s delegation to the ATM.

The Sharjah delegation to the ATM this year includes Shurooq (Sharjah Investment and Development Authority), Sharjah Airport Authority, Air Arabia, Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPPA), Sharjah Museums Department, Hotel 72 By Hues, Hilton Sharjah, Radisson Blu Resort, Hotel Holiday International, Ramada Hotel, Oceanic Hotel and Resort Khorfakkan, Royal Grand Hotel, Expo Novotel Hotel, Al Hamrah Group, Al Khalidiah Tourism, Al Maha Regency Suite, Al Bustan Group, Cozmo Travel, and Lou Lou’a/Sharjah Premier Group etc.

Al Noman said that the ATM offers an excellent opportunity to meet and interact with more than 2,500 exhibitors. With more than 20,000 professional visitors from more than 100 countries taking part in the exhibition, it presents us with an opportunity to target new tourist markets and promote the Emirate’s tourism model in order to attract more international visitors and tourists, he added. “Here is an opportunity to meet and exchange ideas, experiences and expertise with other participants and international destinations which in turn can be invested positively in evolving the Emirate’s tourism strategies in the future,” he said.

The SCTDA Chairman said that the Emirate is confident that its tourism product, which has been boosted immensely with massive investment in tourism sector and by way of a number of new projects and leisure options of high global standards, today enjoys a strong position locally, regionally and internationally, establishing itself distinctly on the world tourism map. This has been reflecting itself in various areas including the growth of number of international arrivals in the Emirate which touched 1.9 million last year, growing at 13 per cent.