Ministers Consider Ways of Boosting Tourism in OIC Member States

Tourism has emerged as one of the most important tools for achieving the objectives of poverty eradication and job creation in OIC countries. Deliberations on the contemporary challenges of OIC Member States and modalities for consolidating intra-OIC tourism cooperation would engage the attention of the 8th Islamic Conference of Tourism Ministers (ICTM) holding in Banjul, the Republic of The Gambia, from 4-6 December 2013.

Ministers from OIC Member States and representatives of relevant OIC institutions, relevant regional and international organizations would be participating in the Conference.

The Conference will examine the implementation of the OIC Framework for Development and Cooperation in the Domain of Tourism between OIC Member States, in the lights of the report of Coordination Committee on facilitation and promotion of tourism in OIC Member States. The Secretary General of the OIC Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu will deliver a keynote address before the meeting, dwelling on the need for tourism policy harmonization and effective interaction between tourism providers in OIC countries. He will also proffer relevant suggestion towards the development of tourism infrastructures and investment promotion among OIC member states.
Ministers are also expected to consider, among other issues, a Draft Mechanism and Criteria for the selection of OIC City of Tourism and the Draft Mechanism and Criteria for the award of OIC Seal of Excellence for Handicrafts. Other issues of the Conference agenda include the establishment of the Heritage Center for Islamic Countries and development of health tourism. The introduction of the OIC City of Tourism Award is aimed at galvanizing intra-OIC activities in an identified city, thereby developing the socio-economic potentials of the city in question, while scaling up intra-OIC trade in goods and services. The establishing an award of OIC Seal of Excellence for Handicrafts will also assist in preserving and developing traditional and contemporary crafts in the OIC member states.
The Conference is also expected to review a short and long term programs for strengthening and promoting cooperation among the member states in the field of tourism and related sectors, in line with the OIC Framework for Development and Cooperation in the Domain of Tourism between OIC Member States.

Source: OIC

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