Aviation and tourism sector needs synergies: UNWTO Ministerial Forum
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More than 25 ministers recently participated in the second annual UNWTO and Ministerial Forum at Arabian Travel Market sharing their views on how to work together towards long-term aviation and tourism sector growth.
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE vice president and prime minister and ruler of Dubai, the event was aptly themed – ‘Tourism & Aviation: Building a common agenda for growth’. The event was opened by UNWTO secretary-general, Taleb Rifai and Mark Walsh, portfolio director, Reed Travel Exhibitions.
Addressing issues of tourism and aviation Rifai highlighted that tourism and aviation need to move out of working in silos.
“Tourism and aviation are siblings, and have been working together in parallel lines. We cannot see them separate from one another; with 52% of world travellers reaching their destination by air, their growth is intrinsically linked,” he added.
The UNWTO address set the scene for the ensuing discussion, which was dominated by the challenges and opportunities facing the aviation sector in the region, HRH Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, said: “The Arabian Peninsula has always been a crossroads for different civilisations. These days those roads are in the sky rather than on the ground, and the same role that Arabia has played in the past is now similarly happening with airline networks. The alliance between tourism and air transportation is very much a non-separable alliance, and it is very important focus on aligning these two sectors to make places more accessible and affordable.”
HE Helal Saeed Al Marri, director general, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing of Dubai, used the Middle East as a prime example of how tourism and aviation can work together, and what the rest of the world can learn from the region.
“The development of airport, attractions, and hotels are all important but the key is to allow airlines to fly without restrictions,” he commented.