OIC prepares roadmap to promote Islamic tourism

Provides framework for enhancing cooperation among member states

ISLAMABAD: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has prepared a draft strategic roadmap for the development of Islamic tourism among the OIC member states.

The project provides a methodological framework for enhancing cooperation among member states in the field of tourism in order to develop and identify the necessary resources, in addition to defining main themes of the future of tourism in member countries through Islamic tourism standards and quality control project, a press release Sunday said.

Commenting on the development, Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs, Ambassador Hamid Opeloyeru, noted that the Strategic Roadmap for Islamic Tourism, developed by the OIC Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Center for Islamic Countries, would be presented to the 10th Islamic Tourism Ministers Conference to be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh on February 5-7 this year.

Ambassador Opeloyeru said the strategic roadmap set the stage for cooperation among OIC member states, OIC institutions and relevant international organizations in the field of Islamic tourism.

He indicated that cooperation in Islamic tourism comprised five areas -- including data and monitoring, policy and regulation, marketing and promotion, destination and industry development, and capacity development to promote inter-Islamic cooperation as well as improving the ecosystem of Islamic tourism in OIC member states.

The roadmap contains a matrix of activities for implementation including developing national Islamic tourism indicators, to collect, process and disseminate relevant data; strengthening national statistical systems; formulating and implementing of national policies and regulations for Islamic tourism market development; promoting Islamic tourism hotels and agencies in OIC countries.

It would also help enriching online Islamic tourism products and services content; improving Islamic tourism providers networking in OIC Member States; harmonizing and validating relevant standards; raising awareness on the importance and potentials of Islamic tourism including programs; promoting investments in Islamic tourism industry; and facilitating visa policies to improve intra-Islamic tourism.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 15^th, 2018.