CAIRO, June 24, 2018 (MENA) - Bahrain backs efforts meant to develop inter-Arab tourism in order to stimulate the Arab countries' economy and achieve the desired sustainable development goals, Bahraini Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani said on Sunday. Zayani, who is chairman of the 22nd session of the executive office of the Arab Tourism Ministers Council, that kicked off today at the Arab League premises, was delivering his inaugural speech at the event attended by delegations from Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Libya and Morocco. The Bahraini minister said that the global tourism market saw a notable rise over the past two decades and last year recorded its highest rate in seven years to stand at 7%, with the number of tourists reaching 3.6 million daily. The Arab region saw growth in the percentage of incoming tourism in the first half of the current year compared with the past year, he said, pointing out to World Tourism Organization expectations of a continuing steady growth, ranging between 4% and 5 %, in the region in 2018. He also asserted the importance of increased efforts to develop the Arab tourism industry, urging Arab governments to prioritize tourism development policies.
