Sharjah Travel Industry Advisory Committee discusses ways to develop Sharjah's tourism sector at first 2009 meeting

In attendance were a number of distinguished guests and representatives of the emirate's tourism agencies, who discussed possible ways to develop Sharjah's tourism sector.

The necessity of utilising all available resources and tools to support the emirate's tourism sector and mitigate the possible impact of the ongoing financial crisis was highlighted, and constructive suggestions for doing so were carefully studied.

First up on the agenda was a review of the SCTDA's event calendar for 2009, and its scheduled participation in local and international events and exhibitions. The Authority's strategies for these participations were discussed with members of the Advisory committee, and views exchanged on the feasibility of participating in a greater number of important regional and international events to promote Sharjah as a destination of choice for tourists and investors.

The recommendation was to focus on promoting Sharjah's tourist appeal on the local and regional levels through cooperation with government organizations, as the local and GCC markets, if properly targeted, will certainly boost the emirate's tourism industry. The importance of continuing to participate in international exhibitions was also stressed, with the SCTDA encouraged to target previously untapped markets, such as Poland and the Czech Republic.

After discussion with SCTDA representatives about ways to further increase the constructive cooperation between the public and private sectors in Sharjah, the Advisory committee also recommended certain measures intended to boost public-private sector partnership, which is seen to be of particular importance at this time, due to the impact of the economic downturn.

Finally, those present agreed on the necessity of continuing to organise and sponsor events. Other suggestions raised during the meeting included inviting representatives from GCC travel and tourism agencies to visit Sharjah, and making promotional tours in Middle East countries, similar to the recently completed tour in the GCC. According to SCTDA representatives, it was decided that the focus of such promotional campaigns should be on Air Arabia destinations.