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Sharjah attracted over 608, 000 European tourists in 2009 |
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H.E. Mohamed A. Al Noman, Director General of the SCTDA, said that 608,281 European tourists visited Sharjah in 2009, accounting for 42 per cent of total tourist arrivals to the emirate, a seven percent increase as compared to the figures for 2008. He added that the growth rate confirms the importance of building and maintaining a presence in these vital markets, and the necessity of making offers to European tourists in order to continue to drive the emirate’s tourism sector towards further growth. "The emirate of Sharjah is being increasingly recognized as a favoured destination on the world tourism map, and the SCTDA is putting together a number of initiatives that will further boost this leading position", Al Noman said. He noted that the Authority is actively involved in organizing and participating in a number of prestigious events, all of which have gained global exposure. This promotional Road Show is an initiative that will create further opportunities for the emirate of Sharjah to showcase its tourist attractions. The SCTDA is building on the success it has experienced in the previous promotional Road Shows it has organized regionally and globally. The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), in cooperation with Air Arabia and a number of representatives from the emirate’s tourism sector, will embark on the first Road Show of its kind through three European countries. The ten-day mission aims to attract more European tourists to the emirate of Sharjah by promoting Sharjah’s tourist attractions in three prime European destinations - Turkey, Bulgaria and the Greek capital, Athens - from 14 to 21 February 2010. In addition to the SCTDA, the delegation includes representatives of the Sharjah International Airport Authority, Radisson Blu Resort, and Golden Tulip Sharjah Hotel. The road show forms part of the SCTDA’s efforts to increase the number of tourists visiting Sharjah and to promote the emirate’s unique tourist attractions, positioning it as a leading destination for heritage, culture and family tourism. Al Noman stressed the importance of such road shows, saying that such shows are particularly important given the challenges facing the global tourism sector, and the major changes that have been made to cope with the effects of the economic crisis. "These challenging times make us responsible for fulfilling all the requirements that will ensure Sharjah of a leading position on the regional and global tourism map. We will do this by increasing the marketing and promotional activities for the emirate, with particular focus on its unique blend of past and present, which make it emirate a world-class destination of choice, particularly for cultural and heritage tourism." He indicated that "The SCTDA is seeking to oil the wheels of economic growth by increasing the marketing and promotional activities for Sharjah’s various tourist attractions, in line with the rapid progress achieved in the emirate’s tourism sector with the entry of a number of new hotel facilities to its hospitality market. The number of hotels and hotel apartments in the emirate of Sharjah has increased to 110, with over 8,000 hotel rooms available, a figure that reflects the rapid growth in the emirate’s tourism sector".
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