Attractions on worldwide tourism to be featured in Jeddah travel and tourism exhibition

JEDDAH: The 7th Jeddah International Travel and Tourism Exhibition with the participation of 160 exhibitors from 20 countries opens Wednesday at Hilton Hotel Jeddah.
JTTX, a Saudi International travel exhibition, promotes domestic, regional and international tourism and feature attractions from around the globe to promote worldwide tourism.
A Public Authority for Tourism and National Heritage report showed a high volume of tourism in the first nine months of 2016, 24 percent more than 2015. The local tourism contribution was 2.9 percent.
Maya Halfawi, president of the organizing committee of the exhibition, said JTTX is a leading industry exhibition in Saudi Arabia, which highlights the importance of travel and tourism and contributes in the development of the local economy. Saudi Arabia’s tourism market is one of the fastest growing, in the world.
According to UNWTO World Tourism, the Kingdom saw a 14 percent growth in tourism in 2014, the fifth best performer globally. Halfawi said that tourism in Saudi Arabia has increased and has taken action to comply with the Kingdom’s vision 2030. It is an essential sector for the economic development of the Kingdom, all the government agencies and sectors are putting great efforts to develop the sector and improve the performance of the system.
JTTX presents a platform for investors and operators and the best place to partner with local, governmental and international agencies for their services and expertise. This aids investors and their partners to build trade and investment relations, strategic cooperation, share best practices, exchange ideas, and promote the industry in the Middle East and Worldwide.
Sultan Al-Mansouri, director of Abu Dhabi Authority for Tourism and Culture, said JTTX is one of the leading exhibitions in the Gulf States, and aims to promote tourism and attract tourists and visitors, and it contributes in improving the status of Abu Dhabi on the map of world tourism.
Mohammad Abdullah Al-Amri, executive director, SCTH Branch, Makkah Province, said the exhibition is important with a strong presence of both Saudi and foreign travel destinations and companies.
The importance of this exhibition is to host participants from the public and private sector. It will also host participants from ministries, representatives from tourism and tourist destinations, management companies, travel agencies, tour operators, medical tourism, educational tourism, entertainment and adventure as well as a range of related services sector to meet the needs of all visitors wishing to travel.
Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, the Travel and Tourism Board of Indonesia, Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) and Tourism and Heritage Authority in Makkah are the strategic partners. JTTX organizers are 4M Event Management and the Saudi Commission of Tourism and Heritage (SCTH).
The event is being held under the patronage of Jeddah Governor Prince Mishaal bin Majed.