Sharjah reaffirms its commitment to sustainability at tourism show

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) has unveiled “Rehlati,” a unique training programme in the emirate aimed at equipping tour guides with the necessary skills to offer comprehensive services in the tourism sector.

The first-of-its-kind programme, announced during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023 held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 1-4, seeks to build a proficient workforce to enhance the tourism experience in Sharjah.

The new initiative comprises four specialised training programmes, including ‘Explore the Desert with Rehlati’ in collaboration with Mleiha Archaeological Centre, ‘Explore Nature with Rehlati’ in collaboration with Sharjah’s Environment and Protected Areas Authority, ‘Explore Heritage with Rehlati’ in collaboration with Sharjah Institute for Heritage, and ‘Explore History with Rehlati’ in collaboration with Sharjah Museums Authority.

The SCTDA is overseeing the emirate’s pavilion at ATM 2023, and turning the spotlight on the offerings of 20 government and private entities from the tourism, travel, and hospitality sectors. The pavilion aims to showcase Sharjah’s competitive and innovative edge, along with its diverse tourism destinations, while also creating opportunities for collaboration with other global tourism destinations.

Visitors and participants are showing a great deal of interest in the Sharjah pavilion, which provided a close-up view of the emirate’s tourism sector and its leadership in sustainable tourism. The pavilion displayed a variety of eco-tourism options, as well as cultural, sports, adventure and many other tourism destinations that reflect the emirate’s rich cultural, historical, environmental, social, and economic diversity and abundance.

In addition, the pavilion highlighted the various government entities’ efforts to achieve digital transformation, integrate technology into the tourism sector, and promote sustainability, in line with the ATM 2023 theme “Working Towards Net Zero” and the UAE’s “Year of Sustainability.” These efforts reflect the commitment of Sharjah towards sustainable development and its dedication to preserving the environment for future generations.

This year’s Sharjah pavilion at ATM stands out for its interactive tours that offer visitors a real-life experience of the emirate’s unique destinations.

The pavilion features the “MetaVerse,” a world-exclusive to Sharjah, and 360° Augmented Reality technology that allows visitors to navigate through the corridors of the Sharjah Classic Cars Museum.

Additionally, the pavilion showcases Sharjah museums experience and Sharjah Formula 1 high-speed team boats to promote the “Sharjah World Championship Week,” one of the most exciting and distinguished water sports events in the emirate and the region. The pavilion also includes a virtual sports experience with a kayak simulator, offering visitors a chance to explore Sharjah’s various water and sea destinations.

The ‘Rehlati’ programme will offer an in-depth range of international-standard tour guiding programmes to enable Emirati tour guides to be knowledgeable stewards of culture and heritage.

Targeting key pillars in Sharjah’s tourism offerings, the programme is set to equip them with extensive knowledge on Sharjah’s history, heritage, and its environmental diversity across desert, mountains, and coastal landscapes, providing a wholesome understanding of the emirate to convey this knowledge to tourists.