30 April 2017

Tourism could bolster ebbing economic growth in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), but the member states must improve their marketing and communication strategies to increase the flow of tourists, the secretary general of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) told Zawya.

The GCC hospitality industry will grow from $25.4 billion in 2015 to $36.7 billion in 2020, Alpen Capital forecast in an August 2016 report. The region has increasingly prioritised tourism-related projects as a means to diversify their economy away from a reliance on hydrocarbons. Saudi Arabia and Oman are planning new multi-billion dollar investments in cultural tourism, Emirates state news agency WAM reported this month.

“It (tourism) is one of the ways out, it is not the saviour but it is one of the most important elements to save the economy and make it more diverse, resilient and less dependable on natural (energy) extracts,” UNWTO secretary general Taleb Rifai told Zawya.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) exhibition in Dubai last week, Rifai said Gulf Arab states must develop their communications and marketing strategies and ease travel and entry visas regulations to attract more tourists.

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Taleb Rifai,secretary general of UNWTO. (Image supplied by UNWTO)

“Attitude and communication must be based on credibility, honesty. Say what you have, don’t try to deceive anybody. Don’t let people talk about you before you talk about yourself.

If an incident happens then the first one the world should hear from is you,” said Rifai.

Aside from the economic slowdown, the Gulf Arab region has also been affected by political unrest and civil wars in the wider Middle East this decade. Islamic State seized large swathes of Syria and Iraq, while jihadis claiming allegiance to the militant group have committed atrocities in other Arab countries such as Egypt, which was a popular tourist destination.

Rifai said Arab governments should not use Islamic State as an excuse to abandon plans to bolster their tourism sectors.

“If there is a political will and a belief nothing should stop us from promoting tourism… Of course, the Arab world is suffering from so many conflicts but not every place, not every corner not every time… we have a responsibility to show the world our real face, we are real people, have beautiful stories and there are places you can come and enjoy,” said Rifai.

Saudi Arabia makes progress

Rifai praised Saudi Arabia for making considerable progress in developing its tourism industry this century following the establishment of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH) in 2000.

The sector’s total contribution to the kingdom’s gross domestic product stood at $65.2 billion in 2016, or 10.2 percent of GDP, according to a 2017 report by the World Travel and Tourism Council. The report forecasted revenue would rise by 6.4 percent this year.

“A major, major transformation happened in Saudi Arabia,” said Rifai.

He also lauded Saudi Arabia strategy of focusing on Islamic and domestic tourism.

“If and when a foreigner is to come to Saudi Arabia, he does not come because he wants to see women unveiled or because he wants to drink. The world is open for this, he can go anywhere else. They come to our part of the world to see us the way we are, to experience our culture,” he said.

“We are in principle at UNWTO against cultures, societies and communities changing just to please their visitors. It is the other way around actually - it is the visitors that have to come and respect what we have and live with it and enjoy it as a different experience for them.”

Rifai also encouraged Arab leaders to show the world “the other face” is doesn’t know. He cited Colombia as an example of a successful tourism strategy. The Latin American country had succeeded to maintain a strong tourism sector despite being plagued by drug-related violence.

“One of Columbia’s tourism slogans that I remember was ’Come visit us, the only risk is wanting to stay’. They didn’t avoid the usage of the word risk but they said come despite of everything. There are safe and enjoyable destinations in any country and people should be able to go anywhere,” added Rifai, whose tenure is due to end this year.

© Zawya 2017