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Merge 104.8 | 18 June 2020
Oman has taken part in a virtual emergency meeting of the Arab Tourism Ministers Council with the participation of member states and the Arab Tourism Organization.
As Oman News Agency (ONA) reports, the meeting, which was held on Wednesday [June 17], was chaired by Ahmed bin Nasser al-Mahrizi, Minister of Tourism, and fell within the framework of cooperation and joint coordination between Arab countries to confront the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Arab tourism sector.
Oman’s Minister of Tourism said that concerted efforts by Arab countries will contribute to minimizing the challenges the pandemic poses on the Arab tourism sector.
He added that: “The Sultanate has managed to minimize the impact of the pandemic on the tourism sector in coordination with the Supreme Committee for COVID-19. The Ministry of Tourism has taken several steps to deal with the expected effects, grant facilities to the tourism sector, and strive to resume the work of tourism institutions, taking into account the necessary precautions.”
As per ONA, the Arab Tourism Ministers Council praised efforts taken by Arab countries to contain the COVID-19 outbreak by giving priority to the health of their citizens, and imposing a number of measures and policies to accelerate recovery from the negative impacts on the tourism sector facilities in those countries.
The Council emphasized taking complementary steps, including cooperation between Arab member states, to coordinate efforts and lift travel restrictions in several stages — taking into account the necessary precautions to help mitigate the negative effects of coronavirus, whether on public health, societies, or their economies.
The meeting stressed the importance of ensuring the health and safety of employees in the tourism and travel sector, and coordinating efforts to support reaching a comprehensive and sustainable recovery for the sector. Also discussed at the meeting were strategies for providing a safe travel environment that helps rebuild the confidence of tourists and encourages domestic tourism in Arab countries, as well as attracting international tourists once the pandemic ends — considering them part of the recovery plans of Arab economies.
The Council called upon the Arab states to follow the reports, graphical analyses, and recommendations issued by the Arab Tourism Organization in cooperation with the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) and the Arab Civil Aviation Organization within the framework of the Crisis Management Team. The Council also called upon states to benefit from the online training programs for tourism sector employees prepared by the Arab Tourism Organization with a number of universities.
The Council affirmed support for the private sector to maintain the jobs of the tourism and travel sector and to promote the use of modern technologies in finding jobs, to help tourism sector companies — especially micro, small, and medium enterprises — and entrepreneurs cope with the crisis and to adapt and prosper in the post-crisis stage.
Source: ONA
(Also read: Here’s how Oman Airports is ensuring passenger safety once operations restart.)
