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Sharjah expects 15pc rise in GCC tourists by year-end

SHARJAH - More than 170,000 GCC tourists have visited Sharjah in the first half of 2008 and a further increase of 15 per cent is expected over the next half of the year.

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The current rise can be largely attributed to the visionary promotional policies adopted by Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), aimed at attracting more GCC tourists into the emirate during summer, said a SCTDA official.

Mohammed A. Al Noman, Director-General of SCTDA, said in a Press statement that the good strategic planning set by the authority had been bearing fruits year on year.

The promotional campaign which culminated with a road show conducted by the authority throughout the GCC countries, last spring, to highlight the existing tourist attraction in the emirate was received by strong and enthusiastic response from GCC tourists.

The tourists extensively attended the promotional workshops organised by the SCTDA, and presentations on the emirate as a favourite destination for summer holiday, Al Noman said.

A 10 per cent growth in the number of GCC visitors to the emirate over the same period last year was recorded, according to statistics issued by the authority for the first half of the current year. This showed in a record hotel occupancy rate in Sharjah this summer.

Al Noman further stressed on the importance of SCTDA's efforts aimed at encouraging the regional tourism, strengthening tourist ties among GCC countries and promoting Sharjah's unique attractions as a world class destination for heritage, cultural and family tourism.

"GCC countries are considered among the most important tourist exporting countries to Sharjah, as over quarter a million GCC tourists visited the emirate last year," he said.

As Sharjah is being recognised as a favoured destination on the world tourism map, more initiatives are being planned to boost its position.

The authority is actively involved in taking part and organising prestigious events which have gained local, regional and global exposure. The overseas promotional tours, especially in the GCC countries, are among the vital initiatives that will create more opportunity for the emirate of Sharjah to showcase its tourist attractions.

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