MENA Attractions & Destinations Forum Set to Highlight Key Destinations

The interactive forum will host over 300 international and regional stakeholders from key sectors. WAM
The interactive forum will host over 300 international and regional stakeholders from key sectors. WAM
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MENA Attractions & Destinations Forum Set to Highlight Key Destinations

The interactive forum will host over 300 international and regional stakeholders from key sectors. WAM
The interactive forum will host over 300 international and regional stakeholders from key sectors. WAM

The two-day MENA Attractions & Destinations Forum 2022 is scheduled to be held on September 28 in Dubai to explore upcoming cultural and leisure projects, and ways to drive growth for the tourism sector, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported Saturday.

“The interactive forum will host over 300 international and regional stakeholders from key sectors, including governments, tourism agencies and consultancies, hotel chains, park owners and operators, museums, culture and heritage site authorities, technology and solution providers, and investment institutions,” it said.

“The forum will focus on developing and rebranding destinations that cater to a diverse population, current innovative family entertainment and edutainment that meets visitor requirement, converting heritage sites into new attractions to cater to different population segments and capitalizing on live entertainment to increase visitors,” it added.

Over 50 million tourists visit MENA each year. However, some key challenges continue to hinder the region from capitalizing on the industry’s full potential, especially with the changing demographics, infrastructure, weather conditions, and technology developments.

Richard Krent, Director for Development, Qiddiya, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia said, "Destination Development requires an intensity of creative artistry with a sense of joy that connects with its audience."

The two-day agenda will feature a series of sessions by speakers from entities like the World Tourism Association, tourism ministries, cultural ministries and projects, entertainment project developers and more who will be addressing key industry topics.

The event is organized and promoted by GM Events, a Dubai-based multi-faceted event management company.



Exports from Libya's Hariga Oil Port Stop as Crude Supply Dries Up, Say Engineers

A general view of an oil terminal in Zueitina, west of Benghazi April 7, 2014. (Reuters)
A general view of an oil terminal in Zueitina, west of Benghazi April 7, 2014. (Reuters)
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Exports from Libya's Hariga Oil Port Stop as Crude Supply Dries Up, Say Engineers

A general view of an oil terminal in Zueitina, west of Benghazi April 7, 2014. (Reuters)
A general view of an oil terminal in Zueitina, west of Benghazi April 7, 2014. (Reuters)

The Libyan oil export port of Hariga has stopped operating due to insufficient crude supplies, two engineers at the terminal told Reuters on Saturday, as a standoff between rival political factions shuts most of the country's oilfields.

This week's flare-up in a dispute over control of the central bank threatens a new bout of instability in the North African country, a major oil producer that is split between eastern and western factions.

The eastern-based administration, which controls oilfields that account for almost all the country's production, are demanding western authorities back down over the replacement of the central bank governor - a key position in a state where control over oil revenue is the biggest prize for all factions.

Exports from Hariga stopped following the near-total shutdown of the Sarir oilfield, the port's main supplier, the engineers said.

Sarir normally produces about 209,000 barrels per day (bpd). Libya pumped about 1.18 million bpd in July in total.

Libya's National Oil Corporation NOC, which controls the country's oil resources, said on Friday the recent oilfield closures have caused the loss of approximately 63% of total oil production.