Yemen wins Golden Rudder Award for tourism

Yemen’s Minister of Tourism wins the illustrious Golden Rudder Award as the country’s leaders and partners prepare to implement its tourism strategy for 2010.

Following an outstanding promotional campaign in Europe, including road shows in the UK, France, Germany and Italy, as well as successful participation at the annual World Travel Market in London, the Yemeni delegation, comprising of the Minister of Tourism, the Director of the Yemen Tourism Promotion Board, Yemenia, Yemen’s leading tour operators and the ever popular Henna Lady, have returned home.

The Minister of Tourism, Nabil al-Fakih, however was soon on the road again, as he was invited to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to receive the Golden Rudder Award from the International Tourism Award Board (Aldafah Althahabia) of the Arab Tourism Organization (ATO) in recognition of his “unfettered efforts to promote tourism to Yemen and his continuous and loyal cooperation with the ATO.”

Among those commending the efforts of the Minister H E Nabil Hassan al-Fakih were Osama Dabbas, President of the Arab Council for Environmental Tourism, and Ibrahim Ohlil of the World Tourism Organization, who passed on the greetings and congratulations of Secretary General Dr Taleb Rifai.

“We recognize the importance of tourism to Yemen’s economy and its role in presenting Yemen’s true identity to the world. Through cooperation with our friends in other countries, we can ensure that sustainable tourism contributes to enduring social and economic development in Yemen,” said al-Fakih.

Acknowledging that the past year had been difficult for tourism everywhere, he added that cooperation, security and sustainability will continue to be central to Yemen's tourism strategy.”

With 2009 drawing to a close, all focus is now on implementing the country’s strategic plans for 2010 in conjunction with Yemen’s global partners at a 3-day international conference in Yemen’s ancient capital Sana’a. The conference will draw many high profile guests, including Yemen’s Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Mujur.

“Again highlights the vast potential that the Yemeni government sees in tourism. The conference will explore how responsible tourism can bring economic benefits to Yemen and I am looking forward to contributing to this important exercise,” said Benjamin Carey, Yemen Tourism’s representative in the UK and Ireland.

Yemen Tourism Promotion Board (YTPB) is an executive agency of Yemen’s Ministry of Tourism and in 2008, it appointed Dunira Strategy as its first representative in the UK and Ireland; YTPB also has European representatives in France, Germany, Italy and Spain. In 2008, Yemen received 404,497 visitors, including 9,000 British visitors; its main European markets are the UK, Germany, France and Italy.

The Golden Rudder Award, established in 1974, recognizes excellence within tourism and is awarded annually by the Arab Tourism Organization to the most prominent figures in the international tourism industry.

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