Straddling the Arabian Gulf and the Indian Ocean, Sharjah is the gateway to the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qassimi, chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), said at a gala dinner at the Hilton Hotel in Athens recently. The occasion was organized by the SCTDA to celebrate the official launch of Air Arabia's non-stop service between Sharjah and Athens. He said Sharjah's reputation as the cultural capital of the UAE was reaffirmed by UNESCO when it declared the emirate to be “the cultural capital of the Arab world” in 1998. Since that landmark date, the emirate has built on such recognition, attracting hosts of people who come to witness, experience, explore and discover the secrets of a unique Arabian lifestyle and Islamic culture. “Sharjah is the third largest emirate in the UAE and has been over the past a hub of trade exchange in the region, due to its strategic geographical location at the crossroads of major trade routes linking east and west,” he pointed out. Al Qassimi also highlighted the significance of Air Arabia's new flight to Athens, which is the carrier's first destination in a European Union country, and forms part of Sharjah's expansion strategy into new markets. “Air transport is the life-blood of cultural, business and tourism exchange. Greece is the Arab world's main gateway to European Union and Balkan Countries, and this service forms a key part of Sharjah's strategy to enhance its presence as one of the world's leading cultural, tourist and economic destinations.” He noted the strong relations between Sharjah and Greece and their shared historic, cultural and heritage richness, saying that the new non-stop service would further deepen the already excellent ties between the two cities. “We are keen to open new vistas of cooperation between Sharjah and Athens and to further boosting the relations between the two cities, which share a commitment to preserving their rich culture and history. We seek to build on richness of both cities in cultural, heritage and tourism attractions with the aim of encouraging an exchange of investment opportunities between businessmen in Greece and Sharjah. We are keen to enhance information and experience exchanges to further develop our partnership with Greece,” Al Qassimi said. The travel and tourism infrastructure development program is an integral part of Sharjah's new strategic plan to develop tourism in the emirate and maximize the sector's contribution to economic enhancement, and targeting modern commercial capitals is one part of this strategy, he added. Today, he said, Sharjah, with 19 industrial areas, accounts for almost 48 percent of the total UAE's industrial GDP, and “we anticipate that this will continue to grow exponentially in the coming years. The Sharjah government is committed to providing support for the emirate's economic development strategy, which includes plans to improve the investment climate and legal infrastructure.” __
