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ITB Berlin to Enhance UAE-German Ties

DUBAI - Shaikh Sultan bin Ahmad Al Qassimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, welcomed representatives of the German travel and tourism agencies and media to the Emirate of Sharjah’s stand at the International Tourism Bourse, being 
held this week in Berlin.

During their discussions, Al Qassimi stressed the importance of good relations Sharjah and Germany enjoy at all levels and in different sectors. He pointed out that the participation of the Emirate of Sharjah in international tourism and trade fairs, such as ITB Berlin, provide an excellent opportunity to develop new initiatives to enhance the cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and the Federal Republic of Germany — one of the biggest economic powers in the world.

Sharjah has set a clear strategy to enhance this relationship, both locally and internationally in a number of fields, he said, and in the current economic climate, the ties between the two countries are particularly important and strong.

“There is no doubt that the interest of UAE’s authorities and organisations in participating in the biggest tourism and trade exhibitions in Germany reflect the growing strength of relations between us and demonstrate the importance of the unilateral investment we are making to enhance such relations and move towards developing real partnerships. UAE-German relations are considered to be one of the strongest at an 
economic level,” he said.

The Chairman then highlighted some of the many attractions that Sharjah has to offer visitors, which is the reason tourism in Sharjah has been successful. The emirate has a history and culture that differentiate it from other countries in the world, as well as being an encouraging investment environment, with facilities that enable investors to get involved in different projects in the Emirate. The Sharjah government has built a strong infrastructure and developed transparent regulations, which helped to attract substantial investments from other countries.

“The Emirate of Sharjah also has a strategic geographical advantage, as it is one of the key points of trade in the region. It is located on the interchange of international trade lines and is the only gate to pass between the Arabian Gulf and the Oman Gulf. In addition, Sharjah is the cultural capital of the UAE, making it the right place for trade, business, tourism and entertainment.

The emirate has some 16 museums and cultural centres covering science, heritage, marine life and others aspects. It also has art exhibitions and historical sites, which give it a unique identity and differentiate it from other countries in the 
region,” said Al Qassimi. At the end of the discussion, Shaikh Sultan bin Ahmad Al Qassimi mentioned the return on its investment in tourism, in which participation in ITB Berlin plays a valuable role.

“The best thing that we achieved after our participation in the ITB exhibition last year was the increase in the number of German tourists visiting Sharjah — 73,000 — an increase of 6pc on the 68,00 who visited us in 2007. There is no doubt that this increase confirms the importance of participating in this exhibition, as it gives us the opportunity to introduce more people to the attractions Sharjah has to offer and thus attract more tourists.”