By Rafiq Vayani
ABU DHABI: The Ministry of Economy (MoE) recently organized a roadshow to showcase the UAE’s sustainable tourism practices in three Scandinavian cities as part of its National Tourism Programme. The roadshow, held in cooperation with various tourism bodies, local government entities, private sector representatives from Emirates airline and other partners from hotels and travel and tourism offices, is aimed at promoting the UAE as a diverse tourism destination.
The roadshow started on September 17 from Sweden’s capital, Stockholm, and then moved to the Oslo capital of Norway and is concluded the trip on September 21 in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark.
H.E Abdullah Khalfan Al-Rumaithi, Ambassador Extraordinary Plenipotentiary of the United Arab Emirates to the Kingdom of Norway, attended the activities being held in Oslo as part of the roadshow.
H.E. Mohammad K. Al Mheiri, UAE Minister’s Advisor for Tourism Affairs said that the roadshow is part of the UAE’s strategy to promote the country as a sustainable tourism destination, in line with the economic diversification agenda of the government and the country’s efforts to transition to a post-oil economy.
He added that the Scandinavian travel and tourism market was a key destination for the UAE government in its national tourism agenda, since the country is witnessing an increasing number of visitors from Scandinavia, the strong bilateral ties between UAE and Scandinavia and the availability of direct flights linking the two regions.
Al-Muhairi explained that these factors contributed to the increase in the number of Scandinavian tourists who visited the country last year by 283,000 visitors, up from 257,000 in 2016 or an increase by 10 per cent and making Scandinavian tourists in the UAE accounting for 1.4 per cent of the total foreign visitors in 2017.
H.E. Al Mheiri said that the roadshow provided a strategic platform to explore the latest global trends and best practices in the tourism industry and strengthen partnership with the concerned authorities in Scandinavia and encourage more tourists to visit UAE and enjoy its rich culture, heritage and hospitality.
During his speech at the opening of the roadshow, Abdullah Al-Hammadi, Director of the National Tourism Program, called on tourists in Sweden, Norway and Denmark to explore the various tourism destinations in the UAE and its world-class facilities and services they will experience upon arrival. He further shared the country’s excellent tourism products and services, as well as the many leading international hotels and resorts, which provide for an enriching and diverse experience.
