Qatar to host 3rd edition of Tourism Security Forum

Doha, The Gulf Observer: Under the patronage of Minister of Interior and Commander of Lekhwiya Force HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the State of Qatar will host on Tuesday and Wednesday the third edition of the Tourism Security Forum, which will be held under the title “Security and Comprehensiveness of Tourist Destinations,” as part of the activities of “Doha Arab Tourism Capital 2023.”

The forum, which is organized in cooperation between the Ministry of Interior and the Council of Arab Ministers of the Interior, is attended by a number of Their Excellencies Arab ministers of tourism and senior officials and the leaders of security and tourism security in the Arab world and the Arab League, in addition to representatives of joint Arab action organizations, academics and senior specialists in this field.

In a statement, HE President of the Arab Tourism Organization Dr. Bandar bin Fahd Al Fahid said that the 2023 forum program will include four dialogue sessions where various papers concerning the tourism industry across the Arab world will be discussed to enhance and develop it.

The first session, titled “The Infrastructure of Tourist Destinations,” will discuss airport security against risks according to international standards and Qatar’s experience in ensuring the safety of participants in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. It will also address the risks of tourism investments and their guarantee mechanisms. The second working session will focus on topics related to the rights and duties of tourists, passenger rights, and the role of media in tourism awareness.

The third session will focus on cybersecurity, particularly concerning electronic crimes and their impact on tourists through event security, artificial intelligence applications, and mechanisms to combat credit card fraud against tourists. The fourth session will discuss securing tourists and tourism facilities, presenting mechanisms to face disasters and tourism crises, and sharing Arab experiences in the field of tourism security.

He stressed that the organization is holding this forum to emphasize the significance of security as a fundamental pillar for the development and growth of the tourism industry. He highlighted that this forum is an important occasion to enhance cooperation and coordination among security agencies and tourism stakeholders in the Arab world, which play a crucial role in the economies of Arab countries.

He stressed the Arab countries’ keenness on the security and safety of Arab and foreign tourists, which enhances the attractiveness of the Arab tourism market and raises its competitiveness with other international tourist destinations.

He commended the support of the Ministry of Interior for the third edition of the forum as part of the activities of Doha Arab Tourism Capital 2023, which witnessed the implementation of numerous programs and events since the beginning of 2023, resulting in more than 95 percent increase in the number of tourists compared to 2019, ranking Qatar first globally in terms of tourist growth.

The second Tourism Security Forum took place in Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia, the 2019 Arab Tourism Capital, and it produced 13 recommendations related to enhancing the security and safety of tourism facilities and tourists.