Lebanon as a tourism destination, exemplified by its 2009 arrival figures, is one of the region’s greatest success stories commented Nicki Page, Director of the Middle East Tourism Marketing Summit, which will welcome the Ministry of Tourism: Lebanon as a guest speaker in November.
The Director General of Ministry of Tourism: Lebanon, Dr Nada Sardouk Ghandour confirmed this week that she will appear on the speaker agenda of the METMS. The Summit takes place on 5 November 2009 at the Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai, and is under the patronage the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing.
Dr Sardouk Ghandour was promoted to Director General of the Ministry of Tourism for Lebanon in 2002, proud to take up the position as division’s first female Director General. She has succeeded in activating numerous initiatives to highlight Lebanon and promote the country as an international tourist destination.
“Our target was how to implement projects in different areas in Lebanon within the strategic plan of economic opportunities,” she said. “We focused our work on empowerment of the efficiency of the human resources within the Ministry and in the private sector.”
Although the Ministry does work within its government strategy to facilitate encouraging investment, the primary goal is to promote and market Lebanon, which seems to be on the right track. According to Lebanon tourism statistics, the country enjoyed almost 800,000 visitors in the first six months of 2009, an increase of more than 60% when compared with the registered figures of the same period in 2008. Quite an accomplishment on the part of the country’s Ministry of Tourism, which finds itself working against a tumultuous history of violence combined with a developing infrastructure.
In November, Dr Nada Sardouk Ghandour will address the METMS on Lebanon’s surging success for its tourism industry that has resulted in the country’s inspiring growth. From Lebanon’s tourism marketing strategies and future planning, she will discuss the country’s greatest success stories providing insight and learning for other destinations in the region.
Commenting on Lebanon Ministry of Tourism’s involvement in the METMS agenda, Summit Director Nicki Page said;
“The Summit is a proactive move by the Dubai Government (Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing) which has backed the event to ensure that the not only Dubai, but the UAE and ultimately, the Middle East, maximizes potential in the global travel revenue and tourism arrivals so that the region receives its share of global travel revenue. We are delighted to have Lebanon’s Ministry of Tourism present at the Middle East Tourism Marketing Summit. There is much to learn from the strategies and tourism marketing initiatives undertaken by countries from within the region. Lebanon’s experience and contribution to the Summit will certainly support METMS delegates in their future business initiatives to grow tourism.”
The Middle East Tourism Marketing Summit will take place on 5 November at the Shangri-La Hotel in Dubai.