KSA to Chair Arab Tourism Ministers’ Emergency Meeting

 Western tourists are seen attending a Formula E race in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia December 15, 2018. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser
Western tourists are seen attending a Formula E race in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia December 15, 2018. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser
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KSA to Chair Arab Tourism Ministers’ Emergency Meeting

 Western tourists are seen attending a Formula E race in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia December 15, 2018. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser
Western tourists are seen attending a Formula E race in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia December 15, 2018. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser

The Arab League announced the holding of an emergency virtual session of the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism next Wednesday, under the chairmanship of Saudi Arabia, with the participation of Arab tourism ministers and relevant organizations and unions, to discuss mechanisms to confront challenges imposed by the outbreak of the coronavirus.

The Director of the Department of Transport and Tourism at the Arab League, Dr. Dina Al-Zahir, said in a statement on Wednesday that the League has coordinated with the Saudi Ministry of Tourism, headed by Ahmed bin Aqeel Al-Khatib, to hold a virtual emergency session.

She added that according to the joint statement issued by the Arab Organization for Tourism, the Arab Civil Aviation Organization, and the Arab Air Transport Association, the tourism and travel sector represents 14.2 percent of the Arab countries’ GDP, where it contributes significantly to advancing the economy.

Zahir also noted that the joint statement estimated losses in tourism revenues at about $25 billion, airline companies’ revenues at around $8 billion, and tourism investments at $12.96 billion.

About one million permanent jobs and hundreds of thousands of seasonal jobs could be canceled in the tourism sector, according to the statement.

The Director of the Department of Transport and Tourism emphasized that the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism praised the efforts taken by Arab countries to contain the outbreak of the novel coronavirus and to impose a number of measures and policies to accelerate recovery from the negative repercussions on the tourism sector.



Saudi Crown Prince Performs Eid al-Fitr Prayer and Receives Princes, Senior Officials

Jjoining the Crown Prince in the prayer were Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, along with princes, scholars, ministers, and senior officials. SPA
Jjoining the Crown Prince in the prayer were Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, along with princes, scholars, ministers, and senior officials. SPA
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Saudi Crown Prince Performs Eid al-Fitr Prayer and Receives Princes, Senior Officials

Jjoining the Crown Prince in the prayer were Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, along with princes, scholars, ministers, and senior officials. SPA
Jjoining the Crown Prince in the prayer were Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, along with princes, scholars, ministers, and senior officials. SPA

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, performed the Eid al-Fitr prayer on Sunday morning in Makkah alongside worshippers who filled the Grand Mosque and its surrounding courtyards.

Also joining the Crown Prince in the prayer were Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, along with princes, scholars, ministers, and senior officials.

After the prayer, the Crown Prince received the princes, scholars and senior officials who extended their greetings on the occasion of the Eid.

Everyone joined the Crown Prince for a breakfast banquet.