Tourism a cornerstones of economic development: DCT-Abu Dhabi

(Source:Emirates News Agency)

ABU DHABI, 26th September 2020 (WAM) – On World Tourism Day, Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said: “Tourism is one of the cornerstones of economic development. This is why, over the past few years, we have developed the tourism infrastructure in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, in line with the knowledge economy strategies implemented by the government. This includes enhancing the tourism workforce and encouraging more talent to contribute to the growth of the sector.”

He continued: “This year, World Tourism Day will be held under the theme of ‘Tourism and Rural Development’, emphasising the role tourism plays in creating social and economic unity and cohesion, especially in developing areas. This comes during a challenging year for the worldwide tourism sector, as the COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly had its impact on the industry, presenting us with a number of unprecedented challenges. We have had to approach these challenges with innovative solutions and strategies to revive the sector while maintaining the safety and well-being of our local community, which has always been our utmost priority. We also took this time to develop a number of cultural and heritage programmes, which incorporate a wealth of talent from various backgrounds and age groups. Additionally, we have worked on creating a number of ground-breaking virtual experiences to enable travellers to appreciate the best of Abu Dhabi, amidst a number of closures and travel restrictions imposed by the pandemic.