The CEO of the Sharjah Investment Development Authority (Shurooq), HE Marwan Bin Jassim Al Sarkal participated in the 'World Green Tourism Conference' that was held in Abu Dhabi recently on 5th and 6th December 2011. He participated in the panel discussion entitled "Regenerating and developing new destinations using sustainable tourism principles". HE Marwan's participation is in line with Shurooq's objectives and it reaffirms their role in the society as they march forward to enhance their efforts towards turning Sharjah into a premier tourism destination.
The panelists consisted of Amy Carter James (Managing Director, Guludo Beach Lodge & Thin Cats Thinking); Jennifer Seif (Executive Director, Fair Trade Tourism South Africa), Nicolas Dubrocard (Green Key International Coordinator, Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE: Green Key, Blue Flag). The discussions were moderated by: Darryl Lew (Director, Environment Management Sector -The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi).
The conference included heavyweight keynote speeches and interactive panel debates that explored every important aspect of the sustainable tourism agenda. With a strong commercial emphasis the conference was instrumental in facilitating the amalgamation of some key discussions about the future of the industry.
The members discussed about the pros of developing a sustainable management programme while planning to revive a destination or introducing a new destination to the market. Some of the discussions were on the line of why should tourism destinations adopt sustainable management practices, understanding what sustainable tourism means to different stakeholders, working on how we can put sustainable tourism practices in place and also a presentation of case studies from damaged tourism destinations about their efforts for regeneration.
Speaking on this occasion, H.E. Al Sarkal said "We have balanced generating return on investments with our genuine commitment to develop projects that benefit citizens, residents and visitors alike. Our development strategies maintain the traditions of the Emirate at heart. The aim is to seamlessly add to the cultural and architectural fabric of the Emirate of Sharjah and we take a measured and carefully considered approach to development and investment."
He continued, "We are always looking for ways to create a viable future and provide opportunities to the local communities. Specifically across all of our developments, we try to adhere to four macro principles. From concept to execution, we seek to create destinations that feel and look as if it belongs and looks of the place that resonate both environmentally and culturally. From architectural styles to the programming within the development, we look for alignment that is in harmony with our values."
"As a government entity, we have employed a proactive role to preserve and conserve our natural assets. This is a critical investment that is on par with any major infrastructure development projects within the emirate. We are making full use of our experience to lead the conservation efforts. Getting to know the environment and carefully considering the full social, environmental and cultural impact is a vital first step across our projects. It is the only way to ensure that we do not make decisions that we will later on regret down the line", he added.
He further said, "Combined with our authenticity principle, sourcing local materials when and wherever possible is another important venue we seek to create developments that are more sustainable. An open mind towards the latest developments and technologies that can further reduce our environmental impact and footprint is explored and considered. Even if this means a higher upfront investment, they are worthwhile options to consider."
The 2011 event brings an impressive line-up of internationally renowned speakers to the conference, a seminar and workshop programme which will directly help organizations to become more sustainable and will include a series of field trips so that they can understand what Abu Dhabi is doing to be more sustainable.
The World Green Tourism Conference showcased sustainable products, services and technologies relating to the travel and tourism industry. With visitors including hotel bigwigs, responsible travel agents and environmental consultants the exhibition provided the ideal platform to feature existing and planned developments, hotels and projects that are taking a sustainable approach.
-Ends-
Yousuf Al Taweel
Account Manager
SAHARA Communications
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© Press Release 2011
