Sharjah upbeat on cruise tourism growth as emirate prepares to receive 80,000 passengers in 2015-16 season
Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority has unveiled a brilliant outlook for the emirate's cruise line tourist sector as the Authority revealed its participation at the Seatrade Middle East Cruise Forum in Doha on December 7 and 8, 2015. This is the third successive year of SCTDA's engagement in the local cruise ship event, which will certainly unite trip line execs, regional stakeholders and also federal government authorities to discuss crucial issues affecting the advancement of the Arabian Gulf's trip market.
"Cruise vacationers might make a vital chunk of the visitors to the emirate in years to coming as we intend to draw in more than 10 million tourists as part of the Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021. Seatrade Middle East Cruise Forum comes as a special possibility to increase understanding about Sharjah's expanding possible as a cruise location, develop new ties as well as foster connections with existing cruise ship line companions," stated HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA.
HE Al Midfa said Sharjah is getting ready for a period of busy cruise activity during the 2015-16 period with as many as 37 phone calls, predominately from liners such as 'TUI Cruises', 'MSC Cruises' and 'Costa Cruises' and also 'AIDA Cruises'. "These telephone calls will bring an estimated 80,000 cruise passengers to the emirate, mostly from European countries such as Italy, Spain, France, Germany as well as the UK," HE Al Midfa explained.
"Cruise tourist has actually picked up in Sharjah recently as the emirate has enhanced its trip tourism establishments. Sharjah has 2 deep sea ports-- Khorfakkan as well as Khalid-- and also is the only emirate with direct access to both Arabian Gulf and also Gulf of Oman. Sharjah is an attractive destination for trip travelers with its real Arabian social as well as tourist encounter. Besides, the emirate gives cruise line visitors simple visa processing and first-rate services and also convenience opportunities," HE Al Midfa added.
Sharjah has developed its Khorfakkan port, a natural deep water port on the Arabian Sea which offers a secure and also safe and secure location for the visitors. The emirate has actually been bring in significant global cruise providers with its rich diversity of tourism plans. After arrival, the visitors are welcomed with special cultural and also heritage events, and also offered a range of tourism experiences, consisting of activities such as diving, dune slamming, kayaking and shopping.
The Seatrade Middle East Cruise Forum in Qatar will certainly host 11 global trip line executives during a day-long seminar for tourist boards, port authorities, location management firms, tour operators, take a trip brokers, hoteliers, airlines and also ship brokers from around the GCC.
The trip lines participating in the Forum consist of Azamara Club Cruises; Carnival UK; Cruise & Maritime Voyages; Crystal Cruises; Cunard, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises; P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises; Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd; Seabourn Cruise Line, The World; Thomson Cruises as well as TUI Cruises GmbH.
The forum, held by Qatar Tourism Authority, might be held at the Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl, Doha, Qatar, and also complies with on from previous chapters which have occurred in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai and also most just recently, Muscat, Oman.
