Minister of Tourism Chairs Extraordinary Meeting of GCC Tourism Ministers

Within the framework of the Kingdom of Bahrain's presidency of the 46^th session of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Her Excellency Fatima bint Jaffar Al Sairafi, Minister of Tourism, chaired the extraordinary meeting of Their Excellencies the Ministers responsible for tourism in the GCC states, which was held virtually to discuss the impact of the heinous Iranian attacks on the tourism sector in the Council states.

In her remarks, Her Excellency the Minister indicated that the convening of the extraordinary meeting comes within the framework of the solid relations and continuous coordination among the GCC states in various fields, and as an embodiment of the approach of joint Gulf action in dealing with current developments, in light of the heinous Iranian attacks that targeted the security and stability of the Council states.

The Minister of Tourism emphasized the importance of continuing to strengthen coordination and integration among the GCC states at the level of the tourism sector, which contributes to consolidating tourism sectors capable of confronting various challenges and changes, as one of the vital sectors supporting national economies and one of the important pathways for achieving economic diversification.

Al Sairafi mentioned that the tourism sector in the GCC states possesses the foundations and capabilities that enhance its ability to deal with various changes, based on advanced infrastructure, accumulated experiences, and successful practices in managing challenges, while enhancing coordination and integration, activating cooperative agreements, and building on the diverse tourism assets possessed by the Council states.

His Excellency Mr. Jasim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, also delivered a speech in which he affirmed that experience has proven that the Council states are capable of overcoming all crises and challenges with efficiency and competence, based on the close ties and effective integration in all fields that unite them, noting that this approach has contributed to enhancing their ability to contain challenges, maintain the stability of the Council states, and ensure the continuity of all vital sectors with efficiency and competence, reflecting the strength and effectiveness of joint Gulf action under various circumstances.

During the meeting, many topics on the agenda were reviewed, including the impact of current developments on tourism movement in the GCC states, exploring available opportunities to enhance the sector's resilience and sustainability, and discussing mechanisms to strengthen joint Gulf action in a manner that supports the continuity of growth in the tourism sector and consolidates the position of the GCC states as attractive tourist destinations at both regional and international levels.