On November 19th, the China-Arab States Tourism Cooperation Forum 2019 was held in Beijing. Zhang Xu, vice minister of Culture and Tourism, addressed the opening ceremony of the forum.
Zhang Xu noted that the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism hosted the forum in order to see the implementation of President Xi’s remarks in the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum on proactively advancing the construction of China-Arab tourism cooperation mechanism. “I hope all the participants can jointly explore the future opportunities as well as the core and direction in Sino-Arab tourism cooperation. We could build a multi-lateral mechanism and platform to deepen tourism ties between China and Arab states,” Zhang Xu said in his opening speech.
Hossam Darwish, assistant secretary general of Arab Organization for Tourism, and Ahmed Youssef, chairman of the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Bureau, expressed in their remarks that China and Arab states have seen great potential in tourism sector. The Arab side is looking forward to more extensive, practical and comprehensive exchanges and cooperation. Meanwhile, it is believed that the forum are sure to be an important platform and highlight that will bring China and Arab states closer through the efforts of both sides. In addition, more cooperative mechanisms are expected to be put in place between China and Arab states so as to benefit two peoples.
The forum, organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, covered a wide range of activities, including an opening ceremony, seminars, meetings of senior officials, etc. The event attracted delegates from 19 Arab countries, such as Algeria, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Morocco, representatives from academia, travel agencies and governmental tour operators to discuss the cooperation potential in tourism sector and people-to-people exchanges between China and Arab countries. They agreed to establish a mechanism for intergovernmental tourism cooperation, jointly build platform for tourism market, create cultural and tourism products and nurture talents in cultural tourism sector. The China-Arab cultural and tourism cooperation will serve as an good example for other cooperation under the framework of China-Arab Cooperation, which contributes to tightening the bond of people-to-people and cultural cooperation between the joint building of the Belt and Road and the China-Arab states community with a shared destiny.