Efforts to promote Mediterranean tourism

The meeting of the work group held by the Izmir Chamber of commerce was held on Thursday evening in Ankara with the participation of representatives from Syria, Turkey, Libya, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia and Greece. The meeting came in the course of the project to developing tourism and trade among the Mediterranean states and to convert the area into a center of attraction at the international level.

The final statement issued by the participants in the meeting stressed the need of strengthening relations through cooperation and signing "township" agreements between coastal chambers and cities known for their famous ports. The statement indicated that Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Algiers have joined the said project.

The representatives of the participating states also agreed to launch initiatives in order to cancel entry fees, minarets costs, reducing ports fees and facilitating matters relating to entry visas and reducing its fees.

The participants gave several proposals like highlighting the positive reputation of the Mediterranean sea at the international level in order to attract tourists from around the world and to work for founding a joint tourism- trade company to organize sea trips in the region and to maintain cooperation among its ministries of tourism.

The proposals also stated work to prepare preliminary studies in preparation to establish a transport network among ports and to concentrate on transporting commodities and passengers among states as well as organizing sea trip to transport pilgrims during pilgrimage season.