www.sana.org Minister of Tourism Dr. Saadullah Agha al-Qala’a said that Arab contribution to international tourism is very modest, indicating that only 47 million tourists visited the Arab region out of 760 million tourists around the world.
The Minister, in an address on behalf of Prime Minister Mohammad Naji Ottri opening the 7th Arab Tourism Forum in the Syrian coastal city of Latytakia, said the Arab region has all essential basics of successful tourism, calling for drawing an Arab coherent strategy in this field.
He added that Syria has been able to increase the number of tourists entering the country by 45 percent in 2004 compared the year before.
Later, the conference started meetings chaired by Minister al-Qala’a on the Arab tourist investments. Ministers of Tourism from Oman and Palestine also talked in the session.
Delegations from 14 Arab countries along with representatives of the Arab League General Secretariat and the world Tourist Organization attended the conference. |