The hosting of the first edition of the “Sustainability of Cultural Tourism in the Era of Digital Communication Forum”, organized by the Ajman Department of Tourism Development, kicked off on Monday 20th March, 2023, in cooperation with the Arab Network For Communication and Public Relations at the Arab Administrative Development Organization League of the Arab States.
Held at the Radisson Blue Ajman Hotel for two days, the Forum brings together a group of senior executive officials and decision makers in the government and private sectors, from inside and outside the UAE. It also hosts specialists in the Arab tourism and destination development sector, economic experts and entrepreneurs in the travel, aviation, transportation, hospitality, hotels, and consultants of digital communication, public relations, and media.
The Forum seeks to provide the participants with the best international, regional and national practices and experiences in the use of modern technology to build a positive competitive image and promote the sustainability of the reputation of institutions operating in the field of cultural tourism, with an ultimate goal to achieve tourism development at all levels.
The Forum discussed many topics, including the impact of AI, interactive digital technology, big data monitoring and performance measurement tools on the tourism sector, and their role in communicating with the public to achieve sustainable cultural tourism development. The Forum also reviewed the best practices in the cultural tourism management and its sustainability through digital media, and highlighted several ways to measure the impact of digital platforms on the future of cultural tourism.
The Forum shed light on the key parameters related to building a sustainable future for the cultural tourism sector, the most important variables that affected digital communication tools, and their impact on the development of cultural tourism, as well as on the management of the tourism and cultural sector, and the effectiveness of the corporate communication systems.
The Forum’s sessions also tackled the future of cultural tourism, the best sustainable practices to achieve a better tourism experience in the Arab world, and the importance of having synergy between all tourism segments including cultural tourism, leading to the transition to sustainable tourism. The challenges hindering the development of sustainable tourist destinations, the strategic pillars to enforce tourism development, and lessons learned from the sustainable tourism applications, were also on the discussion table.
The impact of cultural tourism on the economy was also addressed by reviewing selected real-world experiences of some countries in cultural tourism field. The Forum’s sessions will also discuss many topics on the future of tourism, and scalable innovative ideas, with a special focus on artificial intelligence applications and innovations of the next generation of technologies and other smart options that contribute to creating a sustainable tourism landscape. The potentials to expand investment in the cultural tourism sector and strengthen its sustainability were also reviewed.
Seen as one of the most prominent events organized by Ajman Tourism, the Forum hosts industry experts to hold open discussions on the latest developments in the travel and tourism sectors, and to offer ideas and proposals that would support and enhance the local economies in the countries of the region and the world by raising the effectiveness of tourism attraction. It focuses much on promoting competitiveness and reinforcing the pillars that ensure sustainability in the tourism sector. The Forum will hold several workshops and specialized sessions to address many issues, including the management of communication crises in the tourism sector and the role of communication in the Arab media landscape.
The Forum complements the efforts of the Ajman Tourism to strengthening the emirate’s position on the global tourism map and opening the way for Arab agencies operating in the sector to get acquainted with the latest practices and innovative options in tourism, and exchange experiences in the fields of management and development of tourism projects and services, in addition to highlighting the vital role of the sector in supporting and strengthening the economic growth.
In his opening speech, His Excellency Mahmood Khaleel Alhashmi, Director General of the Ajman Department of Tourism Development, stressed the emirate’s keenness to work with all partners from various vital sectors with the aim to set strategic plans to develop the tourism sector in the emirate, including the cultural tourism sector. His Excellency pointed out that achieving this goal requires utilization of all available means and resources that would enhance the presence of Ajman on the Arab tourism map, in line with the visions and directives of His Highness Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ajman. He also noted that the emirate has a diversified tourist experiences and attractions, in addition to a wide portfolio of outstanding development projects, especially in the cultural tourism sector. Alhashmi added, “The Forum addresses some key topics related to the cultural tourism sector and reviews the impact of technology on its development, as well as the changing conditions that the tourism sector is going through. With the help of a group of industry experts and speakers, the Forum sought to review the best Arab and global practices and trends in the tourism sector, modern technologies and their applications in this vital sector. It also highlighted new experiences and practices that would help adopting permanent plans to develop the cultural tourism sector and enhancing the development of related infrastructure, including modern technologies and artificial intelligence. We have also discussed the most prominent global changes and developments in the tourism sector and the latest opportunities to achieve its sustainability.”
