Jakarta:Tourism and Antiquities Minister Imad Hejazeen stated that the shared historical, cultural, and natural assets among Arab countries, along with their common language and traditions, create significant opportunities for developing integrated tourism products. These products can capitalize on the diverse Arab destinations to cater to various visitor interests.
According to Jordan News Agency, Hejazeen emphasized the role of tourism as a vital driver of economic development by leveraging natural, heritage, and cultural resources across regions. He advocated for promoting intra-Arab tourism to mitigate seasonality, diversify tourism markets, and enhance the sector's resilience against regional challenges.
Hejazeen highlighted the need for enhanced Arab tourism cooperation and joint programs to boost intra-regional tourism and strengthen tourism integration. This would involve moving beyond individual efforts to develop joint tourism programs and routes, improve connectivity, and facilitate travel procedures. Such initiatives would allow visitors to explore multiple destinations through integrated itineraries, increase tourist flows, and create more employment and investment opportunities.
He also underscored the media's role as a crucial partner in promoting tourism and showcasing the Arab world's tourism assets. Emphasizing cooperation among Arab media institutions, he called for journalist exchanges and skill enhancement for media professionals in tourism.
Furthermore, Hejazeen discussed Jordan's initiatives to strengthen its position in Christian religious tourism, focusing on an event marking 2,000 years since the baptism of Jesus Christ at Bethany Beyond the Jordan. He outlined efforts to develop religious tourism products and suggested creating joint tourism programs linking Jordan with Palestine, Syria, Egypt, and Lebanon to broaden Arab tourism cooperation.
He concluded by advocating for sustainable partnerships between the tourism and media sectors to expand travel, support economic development, and advance tourism integration across Arab countries.