Sharjah Starts WTM London On High Note

Several New Attractions Showcased At Year’s Most Awaited Event Of Global Tourism Industry: Al Noman

Sharjah kicked off the World Travel Market 2012 London event on a high note today with the global movers and shakers and regular delegates and visitors evincing extraordinary interest in the emirate’s offerings and attractions being showcased at year’s most awaited event of the global tourism and travel industry.

Sharjah is once again putting up a grand spectacle at the high-profile global travel and tourism exhibition and networking event being held in the British capital from 5 to 8 November, 2012, unveiling several special initiatives at its exotic pavilion to highlight the numerous attractions and festivals that have brought the emirate the recognition and renown as the Capital of Arab and Islamic Culture.

“The WTM London has always been special for us and we go to great lengths to prepare for it, putting up our best performance at the year’s most awaited and celebrated event,” said HE Mohamed Ali Al Noman, Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority.

The SCTDA Chairman pointed out that in view of the extraordinary number of European and Western tourists Sharjah receives each year, only next to the Gulf and Arab visitors, the London exhibition acquires strategic importance. “Britain and Europe are a very important market for us. The emirate receives hundreds of thousands of British and European visitors from Europe each year. This year, until September, 379,053 European tourists, including 40,255 British tourists, visited Sharjah representing a 31 per cent share of the total number of 1,226,055 visitors. We are hoping to further build on it this year,” revealed Al Noman.

He said that this year Sharjah has lined up several new tourist attractions and projects to offer at the London exhibition, including the recently inaugurated ambitious Kalba ecotourism project and the Khor Fakkan ecotourism initiative etc., besides our regular festivals and events such as the Sharjah Water Festival, Sharjah Light Festival and Sharjah International Book Fair etc,” said Al Noman.

“Sharjah offers a very diverse and authentic tourism experience to European travellers. While culture is our strong point, it’s only one of the many other things Sharjah offer international visitors, from a wholesome shopping experience in its malls and souqs to sunny beaches to unique festivals and cultural activities,” he added.

Sharjah is participating in the four-day London exhibition for the ninth year in a row. The Sharjah team is led by the SCTDA and includes top officials and senior representatives of the Shurooq (Sharjah Investment and Development Authority) Sharjah Airport Authority, Sharjah Media Centre, Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Sharjah Art Foundation, Sharjah Museums Department, Orient Tours and Time Ruby Hotel Apartments etc.

“This year is even more important for Sharjah. The Arab Council of Tourism Minister in Cairo has just declared Sharjah the Capital of Arab Tourism for 2015. This is another feather in the emirate’s cap and complements our successes at various international exhibitions and events this year,” said Al Noman underscoring the importance of reaching out to a global audience at the WTM. The global exhibition, being held at ExCel – London, to its full capacity has 157 new exhibitors, including seven from the Middle East, and is likely to draw more than 50,000 visitors and delegates from more than 200 countries.

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