Sharjah to feature at International Tourism Exchange ITB

Scheduled to be held in Berlin from the 8th-12th of March 2006, the Emirate of Sharjah will be participating in the key event for the ninth time. In line with broad plans to reveal Sharjah's unique tourist attractions to the global tourism market, the delegation will be led by H.E Sheikh Tariq Bin Faisal Al Qassimi, Chairman of Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA).

The delegation will also include senior representatives from SCTDA, Sharjah International Airport Authority, Civil Aviation Department, Sharjah Airport Travel Agency (SATA), Sharjah National Hotels, Coral Beach Resort, Radisson SAS Resort, Millennium Hotel, Lou' Lou Beach Resort, Orient Tours and Embassy Suites.

At the major event, the 178 sq. m. exhibition stand will showcase diverse aspects of Sharjah's rich heritage and culture. The attractions to be promoted will include several key landmarks in Sharjah, which are of high architectural value, and aptly representing the Emirate's elegant heritage.

Aiming for a strong participation this year, SCTDA will distribute a bilingual (English/German) newsletter that will feature each participant providing a brief history of Sharjah at ITB.

"Participating for the ninth time, SCTDA is determined to promote Sharjah as a truly global tourist destination. Through our previous experiences at the International Tourism Exchange, we have achieved key benefits and learned immensely on ways to improvise the travel and tourism industry in Sharjah. We strongly believe that this year's participation will also be highly fruitful to the growing tourism industry in the Emirate," said Mohamed A. Al Noman, Director of SCTDA.

The International Tourism Exchange ITB Berlin is known throughout the world as the leading trade fair for the global tourism industry. Its leading position as an international meeting place is underlined by the fact that more than three quarters of its exhibitors and just fewer than 30% of trade visitors come from outside Germany. This makes ITB Berlin the main forum for communication and marketing for the worldwide tourism sector. It is an ideal opportunity for exhibitors to get their messages out to both trade visitors and the general public.

The proven geographical layout of the ITB will be maintained, complemented by a number of sections on special themes: Travel Technology, Airlines/ Airports, ITB Young Travel, Cruise lines, Cultural Tourism, the ITB World of Books, and the ITB Studies Centre, which, along with the training institutions of the international tourism industry, opens up room for dialogue between the business and research communities.

Another important part of ITB Berlin is the ITB Congress with its more than 300 events annually. Current tourism trends and the effects of global tourism are examined at a wide array of gatherings, such as forums with tourism experts, special meetings, press round tables, to name but a few.