DUBAI, 20 July 2003 — Nabeela Al-Angari has gone from teaching children in preschool to teaching adults at commercial college and then to public relations, and now she is assistant deputy minister for tourism affairs in Kuwait.
In an interview with Heya magazine she said there was nothing unusual about women in senior positions in tourism in the region. “If you look at Arab countries that are known as tourist destinations such as Lebanon and Morocco, for example, we will see that there are some women in the tourism field there,” she said.
“Arab women are not often found in leadership positions generally, and if they do hold such positions they’ve definitely earned them. But in tourism, things are a little easier, particularly since this is still a developing sector in Arab countries.
“So it’s true that their numbers are not large, but it shows that Arab women are no longer intimidated because of the social climate in these countries. There is a noticeable change in attitude and in the norms of some societies here regarding the perception of working women in areas that require working long hours and in mixed environments.”
Originally a teacher, Nabeela later acquired an MBA and a PhD. She got into the media when Iraq invaded Kuwait, during which time she happened to be staying in Cairo.
“I started in radio and arranged press interviews. I was working with prominent people in the media and in politics from Egypt and Kuwait. These were the people who trained me. It was a very enjoyable and beneficial experience for me. I remained working there for three months, and then I decided to return to Kuwait, even though it was still not freed from the Iraqi invasion. Yes, it was a risk, but I wanted to guarantee protection to my children firstly.”
After the liberation, she applied for a job at the Tourism Authority, who employed her as public relations and marketing manager. It was this job that subsequently led to her appointment as a junior minister for tourism.
“Through my old job, I realized the importance of the tourism sector and its role in social, economic and cultural areas,” she said. “During a meeting with the information minister, he asked me to host a television show, but I suggested something else to him; something that meant much more to me, which is the establishment of a special commission for tourism. At the time there was no such.”
The minister like the idea and put her in charge of a study of the project. “The commission was established in 2002.”
So what are the attractions of Kuwait as a tourist destination?
“We have to concentrate on domestic tourism first,” she explained. “After that we focus on tourism from neighboring countries.
“Kuwait’s neighbors are three countries with a high population, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
“Shopping is definitely attractive in Kuwait because we have reasonable prices and beautiful venues. There are also lovely parks and hotels. Kuwaiti people are very good at dealing with other people.”
The country is in the process of implementing several strategic plans such as developing resorts and islands for tourists. “Of course the private sector will handle the development of those plans, but the state is keen to make laws to encourage investment in tourism,” Nabeela said.
She believes that the future of tourism projects lies with the private sector. “I can tell you that the private sector is waiting anxiously to carry out these projects, after such a long fallow period. Of course the government has an important role in and is keen on issuing laws to encourage investment in tourism, so it is a partnership.”
Nabeela is not blind to the obstacles that face tourism in Arab countries, but she says the advantages far outweigh them. “There are obstacles, and tourism requires a complete environment so it can be nurtured and develop, but we do have lots of attractive features as well. We are hospitable people by nature and we welcome strangers. Therefore tourism has a vital role in developing our nation and our economies. Making a better environment for tourism means that other areas that are linked with tourism must be developed as well, because tourism links up with many sectors.
“People all over the world now already know about the region and its countries because it’s been in the spotlight in the past years. The revolution in telecommunications has also made Arabs more familiar with one another. I think that tourism will play a large role in bringing Arab nations closer together and rebuilding what politics has destroyed.”
