CAIRO: Kuwait reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Arab initiatives aimed at improving the quality of tourism services and enhancing investment opportunities in the tourism sector, recognizing it as a vital pillar for sustainable development. This statement was made by Dr Naser Muhaisen, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Information, who is representing the Minister of Information Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi, during his speech at the 27th session of the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism, which opened Wednesday at the General Secretariat of the Arab League. Regional cooperation in tourism development, where Arab countries collaborate to create a unified, distinctive tourism offering that promotes the entire region as a travel destination, was a key topic discussed at the event.

Support for SMEs

The session comes at a time of increasing global challenges, which require closer cooperation and joint action to further develop the tourism sector. Dr Muhaisen called for collective efforts to advance tourism in the Arab world, emphasizing the importance of building stronger connections and creating more opportunities for collaboration among Arab countries. He also stressed the need to enhance trust in Arab tourism, develop intra-Arab tourism, and create initiatives that benefit all nations involved. Muhaisen also highlighted Kuwait’s dedication to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the tourism sector, seeing them as vital contributors to sustainable growth.

Global domination

Assistant Secretary General and Head of the Economic Affairs Sector at the Arab League, Ambassador Dr Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Maliki addressed the council, highlighting the significant historical and archaeological tourism resources in the Arab world. He emphasized that the Arab region has the potential to dominate the global tourism scene, but this requires consistent collective efforts and a strategic focus on enhancing intra-Arab tourism flows, improving competitiveness, and ensuring the integration of natural and cultural resources in tourism development.

During the session, several key topics were discussed, including: supporting the Palestinian economy through tourism, the establishment of a higher institute for tourism sciences in Syria, and the development of a regional, shared tourism product as an Arab tourist region.

Additionally, the council reviewed the mechanisms for implementing the Arab Tourism Strategy, adopted at the Jeddah Summit in May 2023, to improve the state of tourism in the Arab world. This includes creating legal frameworks for cooperation and enhancing tourism investments by facilitating business transactions.

Dr Muhaisen emphasized that the tourism sector is not only a key component of the economies of Arab countries but also crucial for achieving sustainable economic and social development. He underscored Kuwait’s firm support for all efforts to strengthen cooperation in the tourism sector and expressed Kuwait’s readiness to back any initiative or agreement aimed at enhancing tourism throughout the Arab world.