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The Arab Tourism Organisation of the Arab League yesterday evening held a celebration on the occasion of granting Shaikh Abdulmalik bin Abdullah al Khalili, Justice Minister, the International Tourism Award in Leadership and Innovation. The celebration, at Coral Al Basma Resort here, was attended by ministers, under-secretaries, the Sultanate"s consul-general and Saudi tourism officials and executives.
Earlier at a press conference, Dr Bandar bin Fahd al Fahaid, Chairman of the Arab Tourism Organisation, said that granting Al Khalili, the current Justice Minister and former Tourism Minister, the award comes in recognition of his efforts to promote Arab tourism work in general and the tourism sector in the Sultanate in particular. It also comes in recognition of his effective contribution to the ATO meetings and the visions he presented to promote the sector in Arab countries.
At the press conference, held yesterday at the ATO, Dr Al Fahaid said that the prestigious world award is granted to those who support and develop the tourism sector. He also noted that the judging panel of the award comprised a number of personalities in tourism on the regional and global levels. He affirmed that the Sultanate is currently witnessing a remarkable economic and tourism development that enables it to become the focus for tourists and investors.
The country provides excellent facilities to potential investors, sound infrastructure, legal framework and other services and utilities that attract tourism activities. Al Hinai said that winning the award is a recognition of the efforts and those in charge of promoting this sector in the Sultanate. He presented the award to the country, the citizens and officials at the Tourism Ministry and thanked them for their great efforts to develop the sector.
He added that His Majesty Sultan Qaboos"s government is currently implementing a number of infrastructure projects needed in the tourism sector. The government provides the private sector with the opportunity to implement the projects and services required. He said that while promoting and marketing tourism programmes and activities at international exhibitions, the Sultanate focuses on attracting tourism that adds value to the sector and make the tourist stay the longest period possible.
He affirmed that Arab investors and tourists are most welcome in the Sultanate and will be provided with different programs, utilities and events they may be looking for during their visit to the various wilayats and governorates in the Sultanate. He pointed out that that the Sultanate has the longest tourism season in the year; the winter, the preferable season for European, which extends from October to the end of March, and the autumn (khareef) season in Salalah, which extends from June till the end of September, which also attracts tourists form the Sultanate and other GCC and Arab countries.
Al Khalili and his delegation toured the layout of the proposed cultural village which will be set up in Jeddah. The press conference was attended by Juma bin Mubarak al Rashdi, the Sultanate"s Consul-General.
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