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Yemen Times 12 October, 2004 It is known that Yemen has a distinctive location and intrinsic tourist attractions that help promote tourism. They can be classified into:
1) Natural aspects: Yemen has a long coastline stretching for over 2000-km along the Arab and Red seas. Besides, there are the mountainous areas, valleys, water resources, and nice weather which is moderate especially in winter, and
2) The historical aspects: that are seen from the remains and ruins of ancient Yemeni civilizations that gained reputation in many areas.
Yemen is also characterized by numerous historic cities such as Sana’a, Shebam, Hadramaut, Thula, Manakha, Hammam Ali, and Mareb, the last of which enshrines the remains of Baraqish and Ma’een. We should not forget Jibla and Tareem, which in turn attract tourists to Yemen.
The strategic location of Yemen places it highly not only among the tourist countries in the Arab region but in the whole world.
Governmental bodies- the Culture & Tourism Ministry, the General Tourism Development Authority (GTDA) and the Tourist Promotion Board (TPB)- are required to set up promotion strategies for tourism in Yemen in cooperation with other relevant parties like Interior and Information Ministries in order to promote the tourism industry.
To unveil the recent developments in the national tourism sector, The Yemen Times forwarded the following questions to Eng. Mohammad Al-Sunaidar, Deputy Chairman of the GTDA.
Q: What are the activities currently executed by the GTDA?
A: The authority has been and is still conducting a tourist survey for the sake of assigning areas that attract tourist investment, including the coasts of the Red and Arab seas.
The GTDA partook in many tourist exhibitions outside Yemen such as that of The Mediterranean countries held in Cairo last year, so as to encourage investment in the tourist field. Now we are participating in Dubai functions that also include a tourist festival, during which information about two Yemeni tourist cities -Ibb and Damt- was provided.
Q: How do you assess the reality of tourism in Yemen?
A: Yemen possesses a distinguished tourist wealth, manifested in the historical cultural exhibitions and the natural sites spreading across the coastal plains and mountainous areas. Tourism in Yemen suffers from a lack of awareness that results in vandalistic acts against the tourist sector.
Q: What are the strategies executed by the GTDA with regard to tourism development in Yemen?
A: No new strategies are adopted, but the Authority works in accordance with the main strategies such as that for combating poverty, the five-year plan, the policy of the Ministry, and the goals behind the GTDA’s establishment.
Q: Why does the GTDA not promote local tourism?
A: The task of the Authority, since it was established, has been primarily to develop the foreign and local tourist investment as well as the provision of opportunities for investing in the tourism sector. The Authority always participates in the internal tourist functions that help develop the tourism industry. An evidence is the GTDA’s participation in many functions in some governorates and its issuing tourist pamphlets on Yemeni sites.
Q: Is there coordination between the Authority and the other responsible parties in regard to tourist promotion?
A: There is coordination between the Authority and the TPB in joint tasks. We also cooperate with the Environmental Protection and Islands Authority. The GTDA promotes the areas that have a tourist potential and develops them through foreign and local investments.
Q: How best can tourist promotion be tackled?
A: This question can be answered by the TPB. However, promotion is mainly the responsibility of the media as well as Yemeni embassies abroad and Yemeni citizens both inside and outside the country.
Q: The tourism sector in Yemen suffers from a lack of infrastructure such as hotels in many provinces, what are the solutions?
A: There is an insufficient number of hotels, a fact which means less rooms to accommodate local and foreign tourists. This is clearly notable during official holidays like Al-Fitr and Al-Adha Eids, particularly in Aden. Moreover, Yemen does not enjoy good hotels, electricity, or water services as well as telecommunications and transportation facilities in many tourist areas. The solutions can be reached by specifying tourist development areas in order to attract investments and visitors.
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