Sharjah Museums Department Participates In ITB Berlin 2012

 

SMD’s participation comes in line with its ongoing efforts to consolidate Sharjah’s status as a cultural tourist destination in all international arenas.

Promoting the emirate’s 17 museums is the main focus of SMD’s participation in the world’s leading travel trade show, which offers a unique platform for the travel and tourism industry and decision makers, to network, exchange ideas and expertise and exhibit their newest tourist attractions.

 

The Department also sought through its participation to promote international events and exhibitions hosted by the emirate in the upcoming period, including art shows, most notably Owen Jones Exhibition “Islamic Design—Discovery and Visions”, which will be held at the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization from 21 March-15 July.

 

Ibrahim El Salahi Exhibition a “Visionary Modernist” was also highlighted by the department at the ITB Berlin 2012 – the top global business to business platform for the tourism industry.

In keeping with its role in promoting the emirate’s rich portfolio of museums, Sharjah Museums Department is always dedicated to highlighting its various educational, social, environmental and entertaining activities, thus contributing to consolidating further the longstanding reputation of Sharjah as the cultural capital and its outstanding efforts to draw more tourists and visitors.

SMD manages 17 museums in Sharjah that cover a variety of disciplines, including, contemporary art, heritage, archeology, Islamic art and history, children’s learning, science, calligraphy to name a few.

 

SMD’s success in its mission is clearly manifested in the increasing number of visitors which accounted for more than a half million visitors to the emirate’s museums.

In this regard, Manal Ataya, SMD Director General, said:” Our participation in global events underlines the importance of boosting museums’ efforts to highlight the emirate’s rich cultural heritage and identity on the Arab and international arenas.

 

Talking about the response at the ITB, Ataya noted that the Berlin show has received a huge response due to the importance of the German market in the cultural tourism, especially as Germany pays great attention to cultural heritage, and thus it has been recently elected as a member of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee until 2015.

 

SMD participated in the ITB under the umbrella of  the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), alongside many other government and private organizations and entities  operating in the emirate’s tourism sector.

 

SMD also sought through its participation to boost the longstanding reputation of Sharjah as the Capital of Islamic Culture for 2014. 

 

SMD’s stand witnessed a huge turnout of visitors and exhibitors from the travel and tourism sectors, the hospitality sector, such as travel and tourism agencies, hoteliers and tourism companies, among many others, whereas several meetings were held with them. Visitors and exhibitors expressed their delight at identifying the emirate’s 17 museums managed by the Department

On its calendar, SMD will participate in many premier exhibitions, most notably Moscow International Travel and Tourism 2012 (MITT), World Travel Market 2012, which will be held in London, Beijing International Tourism Expo, Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which will be held in Dubai.