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In the Name of God, The Most Compassionate, The Most Merciful Your Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the pleasure to welcome you to Doha and I avail myself of this opportunity to extend my thanks to the World Travel and Tourism Council for the efforts exerted to convene the Fourth World Travel and Tourism Summit. Thanks are also due to Qatar Airways for hosting this special international event. I also wish you every success in your deliberations hoping that you will be able to accomplish the desired goals of your conference. I would like to express our pleasure for the convening of this conference in the State of Qatar. We are keen to work together with the World Travel and Tourism Council and to cooperate with it closely to secure the success of this conference and to enable it to reach fruitful and constructive results within a comprehensive international framework that brings together the leaders of the travel and tourism sector from all parts of the world as well as the government officials in charge of this vital sector. This Summit marks a unique opportunity that will encourage dialogue and cooperation between the public and private sectors. It will also help to outline the future prospects that we aspire to achieve in such a fundamental and vital aspect of the world economy, namely, the tourism sector which has become one of the most important growing economic sectors in our contemporary world. 
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our world today has become increasingly and crucially dependent on the fields of knowledge which determine the
capability of societies to influence the surrounding environment, interact with the neighbourhood and open up to the
trends of progress and advancement taking place around them. It is a world in which technology and information now
constitute one of the major sources for wealth in its economic, social and cultural interweaving meanings.
In an international community as such that is led by technology knowledge and communication, the travel and
tourism sector is open to many available opportunities. Nevertheless, it is also faced with numerous challenges
and difficulties. Hence it should endeavour to make use of all the available opportunities and facilities and
should confront all difficulties while seeking to be a pioneer and initiator in its efforts. In my opinion this
is the major and most critical challenge that confronts this sector. Moreover, there is another extremely
important factor, which the travel and tourism sector and the international community in general should now
act to address namely the realization of security, stability, and peace in our world, which is now facing major
threats that hinder its advancement, interaction and openness. Such threats adversely affect the possibilities
of mutual understanding, tolerance, cooperation, and respect among peoples, cultures and civilizations.
We therefore support this vital sector which we consider an important part of our ambitions to encourage
means of dialogue, cooperation and cultural and civilizational openness.
I seize this opportunity to call upon leaders of the international community, thinkers, tourism officials,
and representatives of the media to attach more importance to the paramount role which can be played by the travel
and tourism sector with all its social, geographic, historical and cultural aspects with a view to reinforcing means
of cultural interaction as well as contributing to the provision of favourable circumstances conducive to the promotion
of values of tolerance, openness, peace and stability throughout the world. It is my belief that this issue is of vital
importance for the future of our world.
In conclusion, I beseech the Almighty God to endow us with a better future which is marked by higher and more
all-embracing levels of cooperation and cultural interaction. Thank you for your attendance and attention.
May the peace, the mercy and the blessings of God be upon you. |
