Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the 10th edition of Sharjah Light Festival concluded its series of impressive light and interactive shows, which illuminated the city’s landmarks with a combination of music and special effects to celebrate the heritage, culture and architectural wonders of Sharjah. The festival attracted a strong turnout of 1.3 million visitors for 11 consecutive nights across 19 locations. The closing ceremony was organised by SCTDA at Al Majaz Waterfront. His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, SCTDA, extended his sincere gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, for his patronage and support of the festival and to H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Executive Council of Sharjah, for his continued support in promoting Sharjah’s profile on the global tourism stage. “For the last 11 days, Sharjah Light Festival 2020 lit up 19 distinct locations across the emirate, and this year’s edition highlighted the spirit of innovation and knowledge transfer by encouraging student initiatives, and the implementation of several interactive shows using ground-breaking technologies, such as augmented reality, 3D video mapping and numerous light and sound effects. It was also remarkable in terms of national enterprise participation, this year’s six new locations and the execution of enthralling firework and folklore performances. Most importantly, this year’s edition of the festival attracted 1,3 million visitors, recording an 8.3 per cent growth in the number of visitors compared to last year, with a wide coverage of local and …
Read More »Sharjah Light Festival 2020 celebrates 10 years of innovation
The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) will be organising the 10th edition of Sharjah Light Festival from February 5-15, 2020 under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. The cultural and artistic event celebrating the emirate’s achievements in the fields of education, knowledge, and innovation. The latest edition of this unique spectacle will mark a decade of creativity and excellence in harnessing technological capabilities in the field of lighting to produce stunning imageries that tell the story of Sharjah. The Sharjah Light Festival 2020 is set to present fascinating shows that will light up the emirate, attracting those looking to explore the authentic history and heritage of this region. During his speech at the conference, His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, said, “The Sharjah Light Festival today has garnered local and international reputation and continues to attract an increasing number of visitors from within the UAE and globally. This year, we celebrate 10 years of the rich legacy of this cultural and artistic spectacle, which would not have been possible without the continuous support of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.” “The 10th edition represents an important milestone in the success of this unique event, which continues to garner wide international attention by presenting impressive lighting displays that embody the spirit and culture of Sharjah and live up to the expectations of visitors and residents. It also contributes to the promotion of Sharjah’s tourism, cultural and heritage attractions in an innovative way,” HE Al Midfa, …
Read More »Tourism and jobs; better future for all: says HE Midfa of SCTDA on World Tourism Day
A statement issued by His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, SCTDA on World Tourism Day 2019, stated, “The celebration of World Tourism Day 2019, under the theme ‘Tourism and Jobs: A better future for all,’ reaffirms the commitment of the World Tourism Organisation to highlight the skills, education, and jobs available in the tourism industry. This year’s national commemoration is yet another powerful reminder of the social, cultural, economic, and environmental values of tourism, which play a pivotal role in achieving our sustainable development goals and increasing the international tourist arrivals to Sharjah according to Sharjah Tourism Vision. This key framework aims to attract 10 million visitors to the emirate by 2021.” “We are also committed to contributing to the ‘Sultan Al Qasimi Emiratisation Project’—taking pride in being part of this all-encompassing human capacity development initiative through our specialised training courses. By offering such courses, we are helping to improve the skills and knowledge of all workers in the tourism and hospitality industries, raising the level of tourism services in Sharjah and reinforcing our aim to make our services at par with the world. Sharjah has enjoyed significant growth in recent years and the tourism sector has contributed more than AED 9 billion to the total gross domestic product (GDP), which now stands at AED 102.5 billion. Looking ahead, enhancing cooperation between the public and private sector entities is the key to generating greater employment opportunities for our citizens and residents and sustaining our current success,” he shared.
Read More »Sharjah’s Green Key workshop for hospitality
A Green Key Workshop was organised by Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority to promote sustainable practices in hospitality sector. Green Key certification will be a priority area for Sharjah in developing the emirate’s hospitality sector and enhancing its position as a leading tourism destination in the region, said His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA). Addressing a Green Key Workshop organised by the Authority in Sharjah, HE Al Midfa said: “The UN World Tourism Organisation forecasts 1.6 billion tourists by the year 2020. In order to minimise the negative impacts of this growth and harness its power to help make positive change, sustainable tourism must become a reality for all tourism stakeholders.” HE Al Midfa called upon the hospitality industry to enhance awareness among hotel staff for the successful implementation of sustainable practices across the industry. “We must work together to create tools and training to boost sustainable practices and meet the demand for sustainable tourism products and services,” he added.The Green Key Workshop was organised to spread awareness about the most efficient methods of sustainable hospitality and waste and energy management practices in Sharjah. The workshop demonstrated the emirate’s commitment to promoting sustainable tourism and green economic growth. The workshop highlighted the economic and socio-cultural benefits of sustainable practices to the over 50 staff and clients from the tourism and leisure industry. Calling on the industry for efforts to prevent climate change by facilitating sustainable economic growth, the workshop pointed out that responsible energy usage, and waste and resource management will enable the industry to reduce operational costs. The participants were given a step by step approach to engage hoteliers and staff for a …
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