Sharjah showcases tourism and heritage at World Travel Market

During the exhibition, the Authority highlighted its diverse tourism offerings to a wide audience of specialists and interested parties in the sector, especially European tourism companies, particularly from the United Kingdom, which represents an important and growing tourist market for Sharjah. British visitors make up the largest proportion of European tourists coming to the emirate this year.

His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, emphasised the strategic importance of the European market in achieving Sharjah's tourism aspirations, saying: "The emirate received nearly 350,000 visitors from Europe this year, representing a 7% increase from last year. This confirms the importance of Europe as a vital market for us. We look forward to achieving greater growth by the end of this year with our continued participation in international events such as the World Travel Market."

During a press conference held on the sidelines of the exhibition on November 7, the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority revealed significant progress in developing the emirate's tourism infrastructure. Among the most important projects that will contribute to enhancing Sharjah's attractiveness as a distinguished destination for cultural, recreational, and adventure tourism are the "Sharjah Safari" project, the largest safari experience outside Africa; as well as the luxurious"Moon Retreat," a desert camping site that offers a new concept and style of accommodation experiences in nature. "Sharjah Tourism" will also highlight the natural and topographical diversity that characterises Sharjah's tourism product, from cultural, recreational, environmental, beach, and adventure experiences to hotel accommodation experiences. These pioneering projects hosted by Sharjah confirm the emirate's commitment to expanding its offerings and products in the field of ecotourism and adventure tourism. 

For his part, His Excellency Salem Al Midfa, CEO of Corporate Communication and Customer Service Sector at Sharjah Asset Management Company, emphasised the importance of global events. He highlighted their role in showcasing strategic investment projects and strengthening international relations. Al Midfa stated, "Our participation in the World Travel Market's Sharjah pavilion allowed us to highlight our most important investment projects. It also confirms our commitment to enhancing our presence in international forums. This provides us with a unique opportunity to exchange experiences and knowledge with pioneers and leaders in the travel, tourism, and investment sectors worldwide. It also allows us to access new markets, explore promising investment opportunities, and expand our network of strategic relationships, enhancing Sharjah's position and competitive ability as a leading investment and tourism destination at both regional and international levels."

His Excellency Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, CEO of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) stated: "During our participation this year in the World Travel Market, we focused on confirming the role of tourism in promoting sustainability and protecting the tangible and cultural heritage of peoples. We presented our successful experience in this context, which is represented in a group of projects and destinations such as Mleiha National Park, Rahhal, and the experiences of 'Sharjah Collection Hospitality' that embody our commitment to responsible tourism, and to establishing Sharjah's position as a global destination for tourism that combines the natural beauty and rich culture of the emirate. In recent years, the number of tourists around the world who prefer sustainable tourism destinations has increased, and this conscious trend confirms our strategy that deals with sustainability as the most prominent feature of future business, and supports our plans to continue this approach and innovate new forms of projects that combine sustainability, competitiveness, and success in one framework”. 

His Excellency Ali Salem Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah International Airport Authority, pointed out that the World Travel Market in London provided an important global platform for exchanging ideas and visions among leaders and experts in the travel and tourism sector. Al Midfa confirmed that the participation of Sharjah International Airport Authority in this event enhances its leadership in the aviation sector, expands its network of strategic partnerships, and stimulates the growth of the travel and tourism sectors at both regional and global levels. Al Midfa indicated that the Sharjah International Airport pavilion showcased its latest development projects, competitive services provided to travelers, and innovative technologies it relies on in its operational operations. The pavilion also showcased the airport expansion project, which aims to increase its capacity to reach 25 million passengers annually by the end of 2028. 

His Excellency Dr. Abdul Aziz Al Musallam, Chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, confirmed that participation in the World Travel Market provided an exceptional opportunity to highlight the Institute's efforts in preserving the cultural heritage of the Emirate of Sharjah and promoting this heritage locally and globally. Al Muslim said: "During the exhibition, we highlighted the Institute's most prominent projects and global initiatives to elevate Sharjah's position in the field of heritage tourism, in addition to building relationships with international cultural and tourism institutions and strategic partners. This contributes to enhancing the role of cultural heritage as a key driver for stimulating sustainable tourism development. The World Travel Market serves as an ideal platform to introduce visitors and experts to the Institute's most important heritage projects, which reflect its deep commitment to preserving the cultural identity of Emirati society."

For his part, His Excellency Issa Hilal Al-Hazami, Chairman of the Sharjah Sports Council, noted the role of the exhibition in enhancing cooperation between various institutions to contribute to the development of the sports and tourism sectors in Sharjah. He said: "We are pleased and honoured at the Sharjah Sports Council to participate within the delegation of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority at the World Travel Market London 2024. This participation embodies the strategic directions outlined by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, guardian of sports and athletes. This exhibition is not just an opportunity for tourism promotion; it also forms an important platform for enhancing coordination and cooperation between institutions to succeed in achieving the emirate's desired ambitions in the sports and tourism fields. We recognise the importance of leveraging our past achievements to continue enhancing the cultural landscape and tourism infrastructure in Sharjah."

The World Travel Market provided an important platform to showcase Sharjah's natural and urban beauty and its commitment to sustainable tourism. During the exhibition, many promising new destinations were highlighted, including Al Heera Beach, which extends for more than 3.5 kilometers on the Arabian Gulf coast and provides integrated recreational and service facilities; as well as the Mleiha Archaeological Centre, which is an important archaeological and historical site and a destination for desert adventures and activities.  

The 43rd edition of the World Travel Market formed an ideal platform for conducting fruitful discussions and building extensive relationship networks. It also provided an opportunity for the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority to establish and strengthen strategic partnerships in the travel and tourism sectors. This event also provided an important opportunity to highlight the fruitful cooperation between the Authority and the UAE Embassy in the United Kingdom, which makes great efforts to support Emirati youth studying in Britain. A select group of these students played a pivotal role in the Sharjah pavilion, where they interacted with visitors and presented valuable insights and information about what distinguishes the Emirate of Sharjah as an exceptional tourist destination.

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority continues its commitment to participating in international events, such as the World Travel Market, with the aim of promoting the exceptional diversity that characterizes the emirate in terms of traditions, cultural heritage, modernity, and future practices in various fields and sectors to attract a wide global audience.

Participating with the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority under the umbrella of the "Sharjah Pavilion" at this year's World Travel Market is a group of government entities including the Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Sharjah Institute for Heritage, Sharjah Asset Management Company, Sharjah International Airport, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), Expo Centre Sharjah, Sharjah Sports Council, Sharjah Old Cars Club, and Sharjah International Marine Sports Club.

From the private sector entities participating in the pavilion are Sharjah National Hotels, Coral Beach Resort Sharjah, Sheraton Sharjah Beach Resort & Spa, "Sharjah Collection" Hospitality, Lux Grand Hotel Apartments, Emirates Stars Hotel Apartments Sharjah, Golden Sands Hotel & Residences, Arada Company, Sharjah Airport Travel Agency (SATA), Air Arabia, and Travel Talk Middle East Magazine.