Sharjah a magnet of cruise tourists from around the world

Sharjah / Emirates Business

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) took part, for the 5th consecutive year, in the Seatrade Middle East Cruise Forum Abu Dhabi 2016, taking place at the Four Seasons hotel on Al Marya Island on December 13-14.
The Authority headed a delegation from the emirate including the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority – Shurooq, Khorfakkan Passports Office, Sharjah National Hotels, and Khorfakkan Municipal Council. By taking part in the Forum, the Authority sought to firmly place Sharjah on the region’s cruise tourism map, as well as to go over the latest developments in the sector while showcasing its future plans to attract more cruise tourists to the emirate.
The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority
organised a familiarisation trip for executives and decision makers from the cruise operators taking part in the Forum, introducing them to the emirate’s most prominent tourist attractions – especially on the east coast.
His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, noted that Sharjah has successfully positioned itself as a premier cruise tourism destination in the region, attracting the largest global companies and agencies operating in the sector. “Located on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula,” HE continued, “the city of Khorfakkan has become a magnet for cruise tourists from all around the world by virtue of its breath-taking and diverse nature and of its unique offerings that blend tradition and modernism.”
HE Al Midfa added: “The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority looks forward to see its strategic plans come to fruition to support the emirate’s cruise tourism sector as it continues on the exponential growth trajectory it has been witnessing for years. The Authority hopes to attract more than 28 cruise liners carrying as many as 72,000 tourists to the Khorfakkan port during the 2016-2017 season.”
The 7th annual Seatrade Middle East Cruise Forum Abu Dhabi brought together prominent executives from world-leading cruise operators. Taking part in this year’s edition were a number of international cruise operators that organise tours across the GCC region, including Celebrity Cruises, MSC, Costa, AIDA, TUI, and Royal Caribbean. The Forum’s agenda included a debate touching upon key issues related to the development of this sector in the GCC. The yearly event provides a platform for decision makers in the cruise industry and government officials to communicate and network, in an effort to increase the region’s share of the global cruise industry.