SUR CHOSEN ARAB TOURISM CAPITAL
The wilayat of Sur in South Sharqiyah governorate has been declared the capital of Arab tourism for the year 2024 during the 26th session of the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism held in the Qatari capital of Doha on Thursday.
The city was selected for the prestigious status following its edge over other competing cities in various parameters such as the availability of infrastructure and tourism resources, the diversity of tourism patterns and activities, as well as policies and directions for preserving the environment.
The selection process also took into account the city’s rich historical and cultural components, and the presence of different archaeological sites representing different eras.
Several archaeological sites of Sur have been included in the Unesco World Heritage list and its tentative list.
A tentative list is an inventory of those properties which each state party intends to consider for nomination.
Additionally, there are natural sites such as beaches, valleys, springs, caves, and natural reserves that attract tourists both from within and outside Oman.
“The selection of the city reflects the efforts of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism in collaboration with relevant authorities to develop the tourism sector across various governorates of Oman,” said H E Salem bin Mohammed al Mahrouqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism.
“This aligns with our tourism development plans... our continuous efforts to stimulate the tourism sector through various programmes and events. We are making efforts to raise awareness of sustainability principles in heritage and tourist sites, involving the local community and promoting them through modern means.”
“The designation represents a significant opportunity to introduce and promote Oman, specifically the wilayat of Sur, as a rich destination offering tourists unique experiences from ancient cultural heritage and attractive, picturesque nature,” H E Mahrouqi added.
MHT and other relevant parties were making efforts to host this significant event. With the city getting selected for the great tag, the Minister emphasised that the ministry would plan a set of activities during the year 2024, besides launching a number of investment projects for the area to boost its tourism.
H E Mahrouqi reiterated that the ministry, in coordination with the North Sharqiyah Governorate Office and other public and private sectors, has been organising various festivals from time to time. “Additionally, we would like to study some investment projects in the tourism sector to align with this esteemed choice such as the design of the Maritime History Museum, which won the Bilarab bin Haitham Award for Architectural Design in its second edition.
The meeting of the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism also favourably focused on supporting the Palestinian economy in the field of tourism and implementing the International Code for the Protection of Tourists (ICPT) in the Middle East to make the travel environment of the region more attractive by creating a feeling of safety for tourists and travellers.
They also deliberated on improving the quality of education and training in the region, developing joint regional tourism products, supporting and developing Arab environmental cooperation in the field of tourism, enhancing Arab consumer and tourist culture, activating joint tourism work, comprehensiveness of contemporary Arab tourist destinations, climate changes, and their impact on the sector.
The selection of the city reflects the efforts of the Ministry to develop the tourism sector across the sultanate H E SALEM AL MAHROUQI