BERLIN, March 10 (KUNA) -- Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Taleb Rifai said on Wednesday that the State of Kuwait as well as the other countries of the Arabian Gulf region offered a new aspect of tourism which constituted an alternative to traditional tourism.
"The unique geo-climatic characteristics and the scenic desert of the region as well as original features of the region's social traditions and civilization are the main tourist attractions," said Rifai, a former minister of tourism of Jordan.
Speaking to KUNA on the sidelines of the 44th ITB Berlin Convention, a leading international annual travel trade show being held here between March 10 and 14, 010, the UNWTO chief said: "The virgin desert enjoys rich wildlife which can compete with the traditional tourist destinations such as Greece, Spain and elsewhere." "The Arabian Gulf region is also known for the social traditions of its hospitable and generous citizens.
Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan have huge potentials in the domain of desert tourism while other Arab countries such as Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Lebanon and Egypt are traditional tourist destinations," he affirmed.
"The tourism industry establishes a close relationship between the guest and the host regardless of the social or financial background of both partners. "Besides offering entertainment and economic benefits, tourism offers a platform for cultural exchanges for different nations," he believes.
Asked about the impact of the global financial crisis on the tourist sector, Rifai said the sector was the least affected by the crisis compared with other economic sectors.
"People, whatever their incomes might be, are in need of recreation and leisure activities; this is why they go to place they like most to spend their holidays," he explained.
"Unlike, the global auto industry was hard hit by the crisis, which could have an indirect impact on the tourist sector. There is always need to create job opportunities and provide advanced means of communication to revive tourism," Rifai added. ITB 2010 kicked off as the tourism industry is starting to leave behind one of the most difficult years of its history, after international tourist arrivals fell by 4 percent in 2009, while earnings are estimated to have fallen by approximately 6 percent.
The return of growth to international tourism in the last quarter of 2009 and the first results from January 2010 suggest that recuperation is underway. UNWTO forecasts a growth of 3 - 4 percent in international tourist arrivals for 2010.
The World Tourism Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations and the leading international organization in the field of tourism. It serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues and a practical source of tourism know-how.
The ITB travel trade show brought together some 11,000 exhibitors from 180 countries, including Kuwait; it is expected to receive up to 170,000 visitors. - Kuna