Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qassimi chairs SCTDA Board discussion of promotional strategy for 2009

This is in accordance with the modern and innovative promotional strategies adopted by the new Brand Sharjah with the aim of increasing tourist and investment influx into the emirate.

The meeting, which was SCTDA's third for this year, focused on the promotional strategies and plans being adopted by the Authority for the coming year, 2009. On the agenda for discussion were the new tourism projects that are under development in different parts of the emirate with the aim of securing more tourist attractions were discussed, as were SCTDA's promotional policy and the new promotional strategies for the tourism and commercial sectors.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qassimi welcomed the attendees, extending his heartfelt wishes for the Board's continued success and achievement in its support of developing this vital sector of the emirate. He reiterated the Board's keenness to provide all the necessary support and facilities to further boost Sharjah's position on the business and tourism map.

Al Qassimi praised the SCTDA's success in developing a number of initiatives and projects, the most prominent of which was the launch of Sharjah's new identity in April. Brand Sharjah introduces different aspects of the emirate in one identity that aims to promote the emirate. The meeting emphasized the necessity of developing SCTDA's work strategies to achieve its desired goals, in line with the immense growth of Sharjah's tourism sector.

H.E. Mohamed Ali Al Noman, Director General of the SCTDA, presented the authority's budget for 2009, explaining the budget allocated for 2008 and the activities achieved by the authority till date of issue. Members of the Board discussed the budget presentation given by Mr. Al Noman and compared it to the budget of 2008 highlighting all the changes to the budget which aimed to boosting tourist promotional campaigns for the emirate in all the local, regional and international scales. A comprehensive presentation of the SCTDA's marketing strategy for 2009 was also discussed, including new concepts for the new promotional identity.

The Board stressed the importance of diverse promotional schemes, the new strategy of the SCTDA, and its future plans for increasing involvement in international tourism and commerce events. The critical necessity of continuously expanding into new markets to increase tourist influx into the emirate was discussed. The Board also evaluated the SCTDA's efforts at organizing the emirate's delegation to key international exhibitions, participation in which has resulted in the enhancement of the emirate's tourism revenue, raising it to unprecedented levels.

The meeting discussed the strategic development plan for 2009 in line with the new promotional identity. Each colour of the new logo symbolizes a season of the year. The four seasons were chosen to reflect the nature of the activity being organized and to encourage further activities to be organized in the future. These activities include SCTDA's current and planned activities, as well as those organized by other governmental departments.

The Board discussed a draft study prepared by the authority about the training and licensing of tourist guides and the possibility of implementing this project, which is important to increase the success of tourism sector and attract more tourists.

H.E. Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Bin Sultan Al Qassimi extended his heartfelt thanks and appreciation to H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, expressing profound gratitude for his guidance and unstinting support for SCTDA's activities, adding that this care and support have played the most significant role in the previous and current series of successes and have borne fruit, as the emirate has become a destination of choice for tourism, business and investment.

Al Qassimi stressed the importance of continuing works and efforts to further develop the performance of the tourism sector in Sharjah and setting new promotional plans for the emirate. The Board praised the tremendous growth achieved by the tourism sector in the emirate for the third Quarter, ended 30 September 2008, with a huge growth in the number of tourists visiting the emirate from all over the world, as compared to the figures of the corresponding period last year.

"The SCTDA's extensive and well-researched participation in local, regional and international tourism events meets the requirements of the fast-expanding Sharjah tourism sector. We are encouraged to exert even further efforts to promote the emirate as an ideal destination for family, cultural and heritage tourism. The Authority has achieved a number of important milestones for the emirate's tourism sector as a result of its ambitious development plans, and the targets set during previous years," he added.

Among the important recommendations made by the Board was the necessity of focusing on developing new plans and initiatives to promote the emirate and expand its participation in local, regional and international events. Other points included developing promotional shows and tourist activities in the emirate in a way that effectively contributes to developing the tourist sector.