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The premier travel and tourism event in the region has arrived. The Sharjah Hospitality Forum, which will be held for the eighth year in a row in Sharjah, has a new name for 2021. The Sharjah International Travel and Tourism Forum (SITTF) is being introduced this year to highlight the event’s impact on the region’s tourism industry since its start, and to represent how it has expanded and evolved over the years.
Experts and industry leaders from the fields of hospitality, travel, and tourism will join at SITTF 2021 to share their knowledge and insights into Sharjah’s and the region’s future successes. Since its beginning, the festival has coincided with the growing prosperity of Sharjah’s tourism industry and an expanding choice of travel options for visitors, including luxury resorts, eco-retreats, and more. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to hear from an unrivaled lineup of speakers and network with industry experts and decision-makers.
Sustainability in the sector, travel and tourism innovations, women’s empowerment, millenial trends, and budget tourism have all been covered in previous years. Despite the difficulties of Covid-19, the event took place virtually in 2020, with Q&A sessions providing insight into the industry during the pandemic, the most recent technologies that arose because of the scenario, ensuring safety, and digital transformation.
Previous speakers include the likes of Natalia Bayona, director of the Innovation, Digital Transformation and Investments Department, World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO); Tiffany Misrahi, vice president of Policy, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC); Jess Desjardins, entrepreneur and advisor to the Global Travel Industry, Gheed El Makkaoui, assistant general manager for Careem UAE; and Dr Abdelkader Daghfous, professor of Supply Chain Management in the Marketing and Information Systems Department in the School of Business Administration at the American University of Sharjah.
This year, the speaker line-up includes thought-leaders such as Andrew Brown, regional director of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), Scott Livermore, chief economist at Oxford Economics Middle East and Haitham Mattar, managing director, India, Middle East, and Africa, IHG Hotels & Resorts.
The event will take place in Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre (near Sharjah Airport) on Wednesday, November 24, but there’s also the chance to attend virtually.
HE Al Midfa will provide the opening remarks, followed by a guest of honor speech from HE Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs, and a keynote talk from Mrs Basmah Al Mayman, UNWTO’s Middle East Regional Director.
Attendees will benefit from informative panel talks on crucial issues such as the economic impact of smart tourism, as well as a case study on how Portugal has benefited from smart tourism and a panel discussion on the topic.
The event has four informative sessions on a variety of topics, including entrepreneurship prospects and establishing modern tourism destinations; tourism leadership and innovation; and a timely presentation on the importance of bloggers in destination development.
SITTF is returning at a time when the region’s travel and tourism industry is reviving with energy not seen since the pre-Covid era, and the UAE is once again proving itself to be a worldwide travel hub.
