Arab League chief says defeating terrorism prerequisite for tourist growth

CAIRO, Dec 6 (KUNA) -- Arab League's Secretary General Ahmad Abul-Gheit underlined on Wednesday the importance of ridding the Arab region of terrorism to prop up the tourism industry.
Addressing the 20th session of the Council of Arab Tourism Ministers, the Arab League chief said that Arab nations are in dire need of economic diversification, where all sectors of the economy should be given due attention.
He labeled the tourism industry as a highly "promising and lucrative" one with limitless potential to generate prosperity and opportunity, saying that tourism growth has stalled due to worsening security conditions in a number of Arab countries.
"The Arab region is home to vast human civilizations," Abul-Gheit pointed out, lamenting that much of that heritage has been eroded at the hands of "criminal gangs." The Arab League's Secretary General, however, cited "notable initiatives" in some Arab nations with the aim of reviving the tourism sector, but "much work remains to be done," he said.
Meanwhile, speaking to KUNA after the session, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Information's Assistant Undersecretary for the Tourism Sector Jassim Al-Habib said that more cooperation is needed to put the industry on the path to growth.
Al-Habib, who headed the Kuwaiti delegation to the session, added that many Arab nations possess historical attributes and attractions that would beguile tourists from all across the globe. (end) ms.mfm.nam