JEDDAH, 16 May 2003 — The future of Gulf tourism lies in a focus on limited, quality tourism, according to Sheikh Tariq Al-Qasimi, chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Authority.
“We are aiming for a specific type of tourist: We don’t seek numbers but rather selected visitors. Quality tourists will generate more revenues than mass tourists,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.
He commended the Arabian Travel Mart (ATM) held from May 6 to 9 in the UAE as an opportunity to discuss and market Arab tourist destinations. “We are working to encourage Arab tourism between Arab countries,” he added.
Al-Qasimi said he was happy with Saudi Arabia’s prominent role at the ATM. “The Kingdom has many opportunities at hand that can be used with an active market role,” he said.
Al-Qasimi said he expected an increase by 15 to 25 percent of visitors within the Gulf region for this summer season, with around 80 percent of tourists coming from Gulf countries. This number was compounded by the fact that Arab tourists are avoiding Asia due to the SARS crisis and the West due to the fallout of Sept. 11.
The average daily expenditure for the GCC tourist ranged from $90 in Thailand to $300 in Switzerland. “I believe that anything between these figures would be reasonable for this region,” he said.
He said countries like Bahrain, which recently spent $2 billion on the tourism sector and where the sector contributes 12 percent of GDP, had many opportunities.
He said Sharjah, too, was a good example of a versatile tourist destination thanks to its different types of tourist attractions. He highlighted the emirate’s “heritage and culture, the varied terrain, and environmental aspects, as we have a wealth of nature reserves, both marine and on land.”
Al-Qasimi also discussed enhancing the speed of developing the sector and attracting more tourists by using tactics such as the single visa clearance for GCC visitors and preventing the inflation of prices for hospitality services.
