The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) concluded the 13th edition of the Sharjah International Travel and Tourism Forum (SITTF) yesterday evening at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, and Chairman of the Sharjah Executive Council, and under the theme “New Waves of Tourism Spectrum,” the forum brought together a distinguished group of decisionmakers, officials, experts, and tourism industry leaders from the UAE and abroad.
Over a full day, the forum’s programme spanned keynote presentations, panel discussions, and interactive workshops that together charted the next phase for the tourism sector across three key pillars: resilience, innovation, and education. Discussions covered an economic reading of the future of tourism, leadership in an age of uncertainty, building more adaptable destinations, sustainable infrastructure, and business tourism and events, among other topics. They also highlighted the role of artificial intelligence in shaping destination reputation, the value of living heritage in enriching the visitor experience, and the importance of preparing tourism talent equipped to meet future demands.
An Agreement on Tourism Training
Under the education pillar, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) and the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) signed an agreement on the sidelines of the forum to launch “Qeyam Ebdaa,” a tourism training programme developed by Sheraa for entrepreneurs interested in tourism. The programme offers an online platform available around the clock in Arabic and English, for an unlimited number of users under a one-year licence, and Sheraa will introduce it to its university partners. The agreement was signed by Sheikh Salem bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Director of SCTDA, and H.E. Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa, in the presence of H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, and H.E. Najla Al Midfa, Vice Chairperson of Sheraa.
Youth and AI: Innovative Perspectives on the Future of Tourism
The Youth Circle, held in a dedicated space at the centre of the Partners Exhibition Area, discussed how young people can use artificial intelligence to develop the tourism sector while preserving Sharjah’s identity. Speakers included H.E. Mohammed Al Musharrakh, CEO of the Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah); H.E. Dr. Asma Mohamed Hassouni, Director of the Media Office at the Sharjah Council for Family and Community Affairs; Jasim Al Obaidli, Director of the Youth Interaction Department at the Federal Youth Authority; Fatima Salim Al Shuwaihi, Head of Culture Guidance at Heart of Sharjah; Anas Ali, entrepreneur and artificial intelligence specialist; and Eng. Hamid Al Bastaki, Member of the Sharjah Youth Council. The session was moderated by Ebrahim Bolehyool, Content Creator and Creative Director. H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, attended the session and, at its close, thanked the speakers and attendees, stressing that the active participation of youth and the contribution of national talent are a cornerstone of enriching forums and gatherings such as this.
Economy and Leadership in the Opening Morning Sessions
The forum opened yesterday morning with welcome remarks by Niama Abdalla Al Ali, Forum General Coordinator, followed by a keynote titled “The Adaptive Economy,” delivered by Aaron Goldring, Lead Economist at Oxford Economics. A panel discussion titled “Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty” then brought together Ian Philips, CEO of Sharjah National Hotels Group; Klaus Assman, CEO of United Hospitality Management; and Evgenii Pavlov, General Manager of Yango Ads, Middle East and Africa. The session was moderated by travel content creator Shurouq Lashkary.
Resilient Destinations and Infrastructure in the Afternoon
Sessions continued in the afternoon with a panel discussion titled “Building Resilient Destinations,” featuring H.E. Abdelaziz Al Shamsi, Assistant Director General for Communication and Business Sector at the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Basma Al Fahim, Tourism Development Advisor at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism. This was followed by a session titled “Infrastructure for the Next Wave,” with Eng. Khawla Al Hashimi, Chief Project Officer at the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq); Amit Arora, Chief Operating Officer at Arada; and Mamoun Hmidan, Chief Business Officer at Wego. Both sessions were moderated by media personality Abdalla Al Hammadi, TV presenter at the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority.
A Parallel Programme Across Three Halls
Alongside the main stage sessions, the forum’s parallel programme, held across the Shees, Al Rabi, and Buhais halls, featured two side panels. The first, titled “Living Heritage: Investment, Storytelling, and Community Revitalisation,” featured H.E. Dr. Abdulaziz Al Musallam, Chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage; Dr. Zaki Aslan, Professor of Practice in Architecture and Urban Planning at the American University of Sharjah; and Dr. Eslam Nofal, Assistant Professor and Museum and Digital Heritage Consultant at the University of Sharjah. The second, titled “Future-Ready Tourism Education and Innovation: AI, Digital Heritage, and Immersive Visitor Experiences,” featured Luis Nicolas Barrios, Regional Manager for Innovation, Education, and Investments at UN Tourism, and Prof. Dr. Ümit Cali, Director of the AI, Robotics, and Connected Infrastructure (ARC) Research Center at the American University of Sharjah.
The programme also included two UN Tourism workshops: the first, on accessible tourism, titled “From Barriers to Solutions: Destinations and Businesses Taking the Lead,” was delivered by Igor Stefanovic, and the second, on tourism education, by Luis Nicolas Barrios. Further workshops covered “Destination Reputation in the Age of AI: Turning Visitor Feedback into Strategic Tourism Intelligence” with Mohamad Ibrahim Masri, Founder and CEO of BizGate Marketing & Consultancies; “From Commitment to Certification: A Practical Roadmap for Sustainable Hotels” with Aleksandra (Ally) Dragozet of Sea Going Green and Angelika Vartmann; and “The Sound of Tourism: Turning Music into Guest Experience, Brand Value, and Business Growth” with James Petrie, Mario Mader, Aisha Salem-Howey, and Ali Dee Theodore of MusicNation.
The programme also featured a talk titled “Voice of the Nation: Storytelling, Tour Guiding, and Foreign Languages” by Ahmed Bin Al Shaikh of SCTDA; a presentation by the winning team of the SITTF-Sharjah Tourism Innovation Hackathon, students from the American University of Sharjah; and a presentation by Jackie Ghazi and Evgeniya Slastunova of Yango Ads on the rebound of travel from Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) markets and the opportunities it offers UAE hotels.
Guest Experiences on the Sidelines of the Forum
Throughout the forum day, SCTDA hosted ETBAKH, an activation celebrating Emirati heritage and cuisine through an interactive cooking experience for guests. It showcased the richness of local flavours through innovative food presentation and stories drawn from the emirate’s authentic culinary heritage. The activation aims to support culinary innovation, and offer mentoring and training opportunities for chefs working in Sharjah’s hotels.
The forum is part of SCTDA’s efforts to develop and grow the tourism sector, enhancing its contribution to the economy, society, culture, and the environment. It serves as a global platform that brings together tourism leaders and experts from Sharjah and around the world to exchange views on the future and sustainability of the sector. An eagerly awaited annual event, each edition of the forum puts forward themes that keep pace with the changes and developments shaping tourism worldwide.
