Arab tourist region to have a fair share of world tourism

The Lebanese Tourism Minister, Karam Karam said that the Arab symposium for tourism and travel is due to be held in Venecia hotel; in Beirut on the 10th and 11th of March 2002 regarding this as an opportunity to reinforce the Arab cooperation in the field of tourism in order to attract the biggest possible share of Arab and international tourism.

The head of the Economy and Works group Raouf Abu Zaki said the progressive growth of tourism sector in the Arab region, yet the number of the visitors did not exceed twenty million in the year 2000, knowing that the area of the Arab region, variety in climate the depth of its civilization, treasures of its historical, cultural and religious heritage, all make for perfect potentialities to amplify the size of tourism, in case of overcoming some obstacles such as that of borders and propaganda.

Asked on the program of the symposium, Zaki said it is not limited to the confrontation of the real situation after the 11th of September incidents, but extends to include the role played by the media in the age of satellites in making propaganda for tourism and throwing light on the treasures of the Arab world.

Indicators mark that the Arab region will have about US $10 billion to establish 160 hotels.

Tourism comes in the second rank after petroleum but even is more vital owing to its basic elements of nature and human potentialities, which renders tourist investments more and more important, necessitating the promotion of the tourist sector through projects all over the Arab states.