THE Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) has embarked on a full season of local, regional and international events, as part of its new strategy that aims to attract more tourists from over 20 international destinations.

The authority’s foreign calendar for 2007 is a confirmation of its intention to expose Sharjah to established and new markets, promoting the emirate’s tourism and commercial facets, thus creating more investment chances for the emirate. The emirate’s presence at ITB Berlin is part of this strategy.
Sharjah is already considered one of the most cultural destinations in the region, where heritage and family themes are heavily emphasied.
Mohamed A Al Noman, general director of the SCTDA, has been working on ways to consolidate Sharjah’s position on the international map of tourism.
“There is no doubt that what we achieved in the last year in the tourism and commercial sectors, urges us to continue with our efforts and further expand our reach. Our success here will boost our emirate's economy adding vital support to the growth of our various other sectors,” he said.
At a time when tourism has become a significant source of income for Sharjah, he said the emirate is seeking to further develop projects that include the building for tourists, mega-villages and cities that will attract visitors from all over the world.
“In addition to this, the marketing campaigns across local, regional and international media will further help in promoting the emirate,” he added.
The authority began its year last month at the East Mediterranean International Travel & Tourism Exhibittion (EMITT), which Al Noman said was proving to be a huge success. At the event, Turkey’s minister for Culture and Tourism, Atilla Koç, declared that the emirate is leading the way for other areas throughout the region through its investment in education.
The SCTDA also plans to further solidify economic relationships with Germany and Japan, taking the total amount of countries Sharjah will be representing in, to over 20. This number includes a marketing tour of the GCC.
“Our success is the result of our emphasis on culture, heritage and family,” Al Noman said. “I can also add that the classical Islamic construction style of the emirate helps define Sharjah’s identity.”

by Clark Kelly