Sharjah to participate in CIS roadshow

Sharjah to participate in CIS roadshow under umbrella of National Council of Tourism and Antiquities

Al Midfa: Visitors from CIS nations account for 10 per cent of total hotel guests in Sharjah during H1 2015

Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) has announced its participation in the ‘Seven Emirates One Destination’ roadshow of the National Council of Tourism and Antiquities, being organised at the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) from September 7 to 11, 2015. The roadshow includes workshops and meetings that will promote the latest projects in the tourism sector in the emirate of Sharjah under the Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021.

The National Council of Tourism and Antiquities has organised the tour to highlight the tourism potential of the seven emirates in the UAE with special promotions targeted at tourists and families in the CIS nations, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. The roadshow offers the opportunity to meet more than 75 representatives from the tourism sector in each destination. The Sharjah delegation taking part in the tour along with SCTDA includes Sharjah Airport Travel Agency, Air Arabia, and Sharjah Grand Hotel.

Commenting on the roadshow, His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Director General of SCTDA, stressed the importance of the CIS markets, describing them as one of the major tourism exporting markets to the emirate of Sharjah. Hotels in Sharjah received 94,824 guests from CIS nations during the first half of 2015, accounting for 10 per cent of the total guests, HE Al Midfa said.

“SCTDA is keen to participate in the roadshow under the umbrella of the National Council of Tourism and Antiquities to contribute to the promotion of the tourism events and international festivals organised in the UAE as well as to enhance Sharjah’s position in the CIS markets as a major tourism destination. The roadshow offers an opportunity to meet the key players in the travel and tourism sector in the CIS markets and promote the events organised in Sharjah such as the Sharjah Water Festival and F1H2O Powerboat World Championship, Grand Prix pf Sharjah as well as Sharjah International Book Fair, Sharjah Light Festival among others,” HE Al Midfa said. In addition, the tour will help highlight the latest developments in Sharjah’s tourism sector and the major tourism projects launched recently, HE Al Midfa added.

Sharjah has started the roadshow at the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana, on September 7, followed by Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, on September 9. The tour will conclude in the city of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, on September 11.

The roadshow will include workshops with the industry leaders and decision-makers in the tourism, travel and hospitality sectors in the three cities. The participation of the emirate’s delegation will help strengthen Sharjah’s position as a leading destination for family tourism and promote various programmes and initiatives launched by the emirate under the Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021, including the Sharjah International Family Tourism Conference, HE Al Midfa said.

Commending the major role played by the National Council of Tourism and Antiquities in promoting tourism in the country, HE Al Midfa said the Council’s efforts to organise roadshows targeting the world's largest tourist markets has contributed to the development of the UAE tourism industry and helped the country achieve a leading position on the list of the world's tourist destinations.

The SCTDA, as the main entity responsible for the development and promotion of Sharjah’s tourism sector, recently launched the Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021 that aims to attract 10 million tourists by 2012 by focusing on four main pillars – promoting Sharjah as an Ideal Family Tourism Destination, following an Innovative Tourism Approach, developing World Class Tourism Facilities and Capabilities, and strengthening Sharjah’s position as an International Cultural Hub.