<His Royal Highness Prince Mishaal bin Majed bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Jeddah and Chairman of the Tourism Development Committee in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Salman, Chairman of the General Authority for Tourism and Antiquities and Chairman of the Supervisory Committee of the National Program for Exhibitions and Conferences, opened yesterday the first Saudi Forum for Conferences and Exhibitions organized by the National Program for Exhibitions and Conferences at the Hilton Jeddah Hotel.
HRH Prince Sultan bin Salman, President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities and Chairman of the Supervisory Committee of the National Program for Exhibitions and Conferences, stressed the importance of the forum as the first activity of the National Program for Exhibitions and Conferences, which represents a new launch of one of the most promising economic tracks, and is expected to have a great impact on the development of the economies of the regions and provide many job opportunities for citizens, pointing out that the state confirmed its interest in the exhibition and conference sector by approving the establishment of the National Program for Exhibitions and Conferences that will contribute to the regulation and development of this sector.
During his speech at the opening ceremony, His Highness announced the establishment of an advisory team from most of the companies working in this field in order to be a companion to the work of the Authority and our work from the beginning will be compatible with the companies that will enter the market.
His Highness said: ”I salute Prince Khalid Al-Faisal and Prince Mishaal bin Majid for launching the first center in the region in Jeddah at the Prince Sultan Cultural Center, and we hope that investors in this project will prepare their files urgently and submit it to the Authority and the program for licensing.”
He added:” Under the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and His Royal Highness Prince Khaled bin Saud bin Khaled, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, we are working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to develop and expedite visa issues for conferences and exhibitions to ensure the maximum in terms of security issues and serve national security above all. His Highness noted that the development of the exhibitions and conferences sector will be carried out in an organized and systematic manner, emulating the best international practices, and that the future is for serious and qualified companies and institutions capable of providing the best programs and services, which can work in the long term to put our country at the forefront of the countries, God willing.
His Highness said in his speech: ”I am pleased on this night to congratulate the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Highness the Crown Prince - may Allah protect them - and all sectors of the state on the success of the Hajj season this year 1434 AH, which is the great ritual that the Kingdom is proud to manage, organize and provide all the necessary means to serve the pilgrims coming to perform it, and this coincides with the establishment of the largest expansion of the Two Holy Mosques, which was ordered by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - may Allah bless him with health and success - praying to Allah to protect this country's leadership and people for the good of Islam and Muslims.
He added: “I would also like to extend my thanks and appreciation to His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah, for sponsoring the forum, and to His Royal Highness Prince Mishaal bin Majid, Governor of Jeddah, for opening it on behalf of His Royal Highness.“
He pointed out that this annual forum - the first of its kind - for conferences and exhibitions in the Kingdom comes with the aim of focusing on the activities of this important economic sector, which is the most dynamic and intertwined with the economic sectors, as the forum will discuss during its six sessions the reality of the exhibition and conference sector locally and globally, explaining the opportunities and challenges and working to come up with specific recommendations to develop this emerging sector in the Kingdom.
His Highness drew attention to the fact that the state has confirmed its interest in developing and organizing the exhibitions and conferences sector in the Kingdom in a comprehensive manner by issuing Cabinet Resolution No. (246) on 17 Rajab 1434H, corresponding to May 27, 2013, to transform the Permanent Committee for Exhibitions and Conferences at the Ministry of Commerce into a national program named ”National Program for Exhibitions and Conferences“. The decision stipulated that the program should have a supervisory committee to implement its objectives and terms of reference, which I have the honor to chair, with the membership of representatives of the Ministries of Municipal and Rural Affairs, Interior, Commerce and Industry, and Finance, and two members from private sector companies working in this field.
His Highness said that the development of the exhibitions and conferences sector complements a series of development initiatives presented by the General Authority for Tourism and Antiquities, in cooperation with its partners from the competent authorities, to develop a number of economic sectors that are interconnected with the national tourism industry, as the exhibitions and conferences sector represents an important economic opportunity and a field for providing job opportunities for citizens, which is an important sector in our region and is witnessing fierce competition to attract citizens from our country, and many countries calculate the economic output of this sector within their national product, pointing out that the economic impact of exhibitions and conferences in Arab countries is estimated at His Highness added: ”At the international level, the exhibitions and conferences sector in the United States of America, for example - which is the first in the world in organizing exhibitions and conferences - contributes an annual revenue of $263 billion and nearly 2% of the national product, employing more than one and a half million people, surpassing important sectors such as the automotive industry by 30%, which confirms the influential role of this sector in the economy in general. It has become one of the preferred tools for the development of trade exchange between countries, the transfer of knowledge and professional practices, communication and building bridges of understanding and relations between countries.” His Highness stressed that there are important positive side effects provided by this sector, if properly developed, organized and managed, in the areas of introducing and marketing the destinations where exhibitions and conferences are held, stimulating investments in them, activating accommodation facilities and the incomes of service providers, tourist guides, event organizers, excursions, local and craft industries, and specialized companies, in addition to its significant economic effects on local economies, as UNWTO reports indicate that the number of tourist trips for the purpose of attending exhibitions and conferences reached (135) million trips in 2012, and studies indicate that the number of tourist trips for the purpose of attending exhibitions and conferences reached (135) million trips in 2012. Studies also indicate that there are more than (600) facilities equipped for exhibitions, conferences and meetings in the Kingdom, mostly in hotels. To date, (1200) commercial registrations have been issued to organizers of exhibitions and conferences.
His Highness noted that international competitiveness reports indicate that the Kingdom occupies at this time a late position among the countries of the world in the number of international exhibitions held in the Kingdom, international association conferences, and the ability to attract investors in the sector, as the 2012 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report issued by the Davos Economic Forum indicated that the Kingdom's ranking in the number of international exhibitions is 120 out of 140 countries, and the report of the ECA organization specialized in conferences and meetings indicated in its report for 2012 that nine meetings of international professional associations were organized in the Kingdom from more than 11 thousand meetings organized worldwide, including 171 meetings that were organized in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. His Highness said that the strategy for the development of the exhibition and conference market, which was submitted by the Board of Directors of the General Authority for Tourism and Antiquities to the Honorable Council of Ministers on 1/7/1430 AH, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Commerce and the relevant authorities, identified the main obstacles affecting the growth of the sector in the Kingdom, which indicated the lack of clarity of regulations and procedures, multiple references, limited information and data, lack of specialized national competencies, limited high-level exhibition and conference centers, and dispersed licensing procedures for events.
He added: ”We aspire that the National Program for Exhibitions and Conferences, which started its work at the beginning of Dhu al-Qa'dah, will be a pioneering program in developing this emerging sector to occupy a high position in the Middle East region by the year 1439 AH 2018, God willing, more productive and competitive, by applying the best international methods in this field, developing and creating the regulatory environment to stimulate investment in the sector, developing exhibition and conference centers at the highest international standards in partnership with the private sector, developing the capabilities of exhibition organizers, quality standards, providing valuable information and measuring development impacts, and providing opportunities for the private sector. The sector has all the ingredients to be in an advanced position among the countries of the region due to the presence of the local market and the large purchasing power, the potential, infrastructure and airports that are now being developed in our country, and the great demand for exhibitions and conferences of all kinds from citizens and residents.”
His Highness stressed that the National Program for Exhibitions and Conferences represents a new start for one of the most important economic tracks in our country, and the program will apply the partnership approach used by the General Authority for Tourism and Antiquities through consultation and cooperation with all institutions and companies working in the exhibition and conferences sector to develop the existing regulatory environment and identify pathways for growth and investment. He added: ”As we look forward to a new phase for this important economic sector, we assure that the development will take place in an organized and systematic manner that emulates international best practices, and that the future belongs to serious and qualified companies and institutions capable of providing the best programs and services, which can work in the long term to put our country at the forefront of the countries, God willing.”
His Highness continued: ”We also look forward to the launch of major cities in our country to start establishing exhibition and conference centers that keep pace with the next stage - God willing - and I appreciate in this regard the efforts of His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Governor of Makkah region to develop this economic track in an accelerated manner in the coming period, and to expedite the procedures for licensing an exhibition and conference center in Jeddah as soon as possible, God willing.”
After that, a movie about the exhibitions and conferences sector produced by the Media Department of the General Authority for Tourism and Antiquities was shown. Prince Sultan bin Salman and Prince Mishaal bin Majid then honored the Permanent Committee for Exhibitions and Conferences.
At the end of the ceremony, the sponsors of the forum were honored. HRH Prince Sultan bin Salman also presented an honorary shield to HRH Prince Khalid Al Faisal and HRH Prince Mishaal bin Majed bin Abdulaziz.
HRH Prince Sultan bin Salman and HRH Prince Mishaal bin Majed toured the exhibition accompanying the forum, which includes a number of pavilions for major companies involved in organizing exhibitions and conferences in the Kingdom.
His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz explained in a press statement after the ceremony that the citizen is looking forward to the development of the exhibitions and conferences sector and the tourism sector in general, indicating that they are working in full swing under the guidance of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques - may God protect him - to accelerate the development of national tourism, ”Now, thank God, the state has issued a system of decisions in the past two years and we expect to issue decisions coming soon, God willing, that will contribute greatly to the development of national tourism, the citizen really cannot wait more than he has waited and wishes that his country becomes the first destination in tourism”.
In response to the question of what tourism will offer young people in terms of job opportunities, His Highness said: ”There is no doubt that tourism is one of the most important sectors in providing job opportunities for young people, but it will also provide in addition to job opportunities a lot for young people by familiarizing them with the regions of their country and sensing its history, and to live their country and not only be a tourist but be educated for his country, its history, civilization and the history of this blessed national unity and taste the beauty of his country.”
His Highness pointed out that the National Program for Exhibitions and Conferences has completed all organizational matters aimed at developing this sector and developing the regulations of exhibitions and conferences and the financing process and we look with all attention to the development of exhibition and conference centers, and the Kingdom must have the most prominent exhibition and conference centers at the highest international levels, in some Gulf countries are now building large centers for exhibitions and conferences It does not make sense that the largest economic sector in the region to feed other countries with this industry and does not have large centers for exhibitions and conferences, and I commend the support of Prince Khaled Al-Faisal and the follow-up of Prince Meshal bin Majid to establish a city for exhibitions and conferences. For his part, HRH Prince Mishaal bin Majid bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Jeddah, stressed that exhibitions and conferences are a modern industry and an important pillar of the national economy, pointing out that the city of Jeddah is one of the main cities in organizing exhibitions and conferences and is now in the process of establishing two exhibition centers, the first is an integrated exhibition city in the Prince Sultan Civilization Center and the second in central Jeddah, and they will be two of the largest exhibition centers in the Kingdom, which in my opinion is not enough, as the industry is much larger and is a complete integrated industry that must meet several conditions as it serves major economic and service sectors such as the tourist accommodation sector and others, hoping that it will embrace Jeddah. The forum sessions started yesterday at the Jeddah Hilton Hotel.
HRH Prince Sultan bin Salman, President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities and Chairman of the Supervisory Committee of the National Program for Exhibitions and Conferences, stressed the importance of the forum as the first activity of the National Program for Exhibitions and Conferences, which represents a new launch of one of the most promising economic tracks, and is expected to have a great impact on the development of the economies of the regions and provide many job opportunities for citizens, pointing out that the state confirmed its interest in the exhibition and conference sector by approving the establishment of the National Program for Exhibitions and Conferences that will contribute to the regulation and development of this sector.
During his speech at the opening ceremony, His Highness announced the establishment of an advisory team from most of the companies working in this field in order to be a companion to the work of the Authority and our work from the beginning will be compatible with the companies that will enter the market.
His Highness said: ”I salute Prince Khalid Al-Faisal and Prince Mishaal bin Majid for launching the first center in the region in Jeddah at the Prince Sultan Cultural Center, and we hope that investors in this project will prepare their files urgently and submit it to the Authority and the program for licensing.”
He added:” Under the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and His Royal Highness Prince Khaled bin Saud bin Khaled, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, we are working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to develop and expedite visa issues for conferences and exhibitions to ensure the maximum in terms of security issues and serve national security above all. His Highness noted that the development of the exhibitions and conferences sector will be carried out in an organized and systematic manner, emulating the best international practices, and that the future is for serious and qualified companies and institutions capable of providing the best programs and services, which can work in the long term to put our country at the forefront of the countries, God willing.
His Highness said in his speech: ”I am pleased on this night to congratulate the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Highness the Crown Prince - may Allah protect them - and all sectors of the state on the success of the Hajj season this year 1434 AH, which is the great ritual that the Kingdom is proud to manage, organize and provide all the necessary means to serve the pilgrims coming to perform it, and this coincides with the establishment of the largest expansion of the Two Holy Mosques, which was ordered by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - may Allah bless him with health and success - praying to Allah to protect this country's leadership and people for the good of Islam and Muslims.
He added: “I would also like to extend my thanks and appreciation to His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah, for sponsoring the forum, and to His Royal Highness Prince Mishaal bin Majid, Governor of Jeddah, for opening it on behalf of His Royal Highness.“
He pointed out that this annual forum - the first of its kind - for conferences and exhibitions in the Kingdom comes with the aim of focusing on the activities of this important economic sector, which is the most dynamic and intertwined with the economic sectors, as the forum will discuss during its six sessions the reality of the exhibition and conference sector locally and globally, explaining the opportunities and challenges and working to come up with specific recommendations to develop this emerging sector in the Kingdom.
His Highness drew attention to the fact that the state has confirmed its interest in developing and organizing the exhibitions and conferences sector in the Kingdom in a comprehensive manner by issuing Cabinet Resolution No. (246) on 17 Rajab 1434H, corresponding to May 27, 2013, to transform the Permanent Committee for Exhibitions and Conferences at the Ministry of Commerce into a national program named ”National Program for Exhibitions and Conferences“. The decision stipulated that the program should have a supervisory committee to implement its objectives and terms of reference, which I have the honor to chair, with the membership of representatives of the Ministries of Municipal and Rural Affairs, Interior, Commerce and Industry, and Finance, and two members from private sector companies working in this field.
His Highness said that the development of the exhibitions and conferences sector complements a series of development initiatives presented by the General Authority for Tourism and Antiquities, in cooperation with its partners from the competent authorities, to develop a number of economic sectors that are interconnected with the national tourism industry, as the exhibitions and conferences sector represents an important economic opportunity and a field for providing job opportunities for citizens, which is an important sector in our region and is witnessing fierce competition to attract citizens from our country, and many countries calculate the economic output of this sector within their national product, pointing out that the economic impact of exhibitions and conferences in Arab countries is estimated at His Highness added: ”At the international level, the exhibitions and conferences sector in the United States of America, for example - which is the first in the world in organizing exhibitions and conferences - contributes an annual revenue of $263 billion and nearly 2% of the national product, employing more than one and a half million people, surpassing important sectors such as the automotive industry by 30%, which confirms the influential role of this sector in the economy in general. It has become one of the preferred tools for the development of trade exchange between countries, the transfer of knowledge and professional practices, communication and building bridges of understanding and relations between countries.” His Highness stressed that there are important positive side effects provided by this sector, if properly developed, organized and managed, in the areas of introducing and marketing the destinations where exhibitions and conferences are held, stimulating investments in them, activating accommodation facilities and the incomes of service providers, tourist guides, event organizers, excursions, local and craft industries, and specialized companies, in addition to its significant economic effects on local economies, as UNWTO reports indicate that the number of tourist trips for the purpose of attending exhibitions and conferences reached (135) million trips in 2012, and studies indicate that the number of tourist trips for the purpose of attending exhibitions and conferences reached (135) million trips in 2012. Studies also indicate that there are more than (600) facilities equipped for exhibitions, conferences and meetings in the Kingdom, mostly in hotels. To date, (1200) commercial registrations have been issued to organizers of exhibitions and conferences.
His Highness noted that international competitiveness reports indicate that the Kingdom occupies at this time a late position among the countries of the world in the number of international exhibitions held in the Kingdom, international association conferences, and the ability to attract investors in the sector, as the 2012 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report issued by the Davos Economic Forum indicated that the Kingdom's ranking in the number of international exhibitions is 120 out of 140 countries, and the report of the ECA organization specialized in conferences and meetings indicated in its report for 2012 that nine meetings of international professional associations were organized in the Kingdom from more than 11 thousand meetings organized worldwide, including 171 meetings that were organized in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. His Highness said that the strategy for the development of the exhibition and conference market, which was submitted by the Board of Directors of the General Authority for Tourism and Antiquities to the Honorable Council of Ministers on 1/7/1430 AH, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Commerce and the relevant authorities, identified the main obstacles affecting the growth of the sector in the Kingdom, which indicated the lack of clarity of regulations and procedures, multiple references, limited information and data, lack of specialized national competencies, limited high-level exhibition and conference centers, and dispersed licensing procedures for events.
He added: ”We aspire that the National Program for Exhibitions and Conferences, which started its work at the beginning of Dhu al-Qa'dah, will be a pioneering program in developing this emerging sector to occupy a high position in the Middle East region by the year 1439 AH 2018, God willing, more productive and competitive, by applying the best international methods in this field, developing and creating the regulatory environment to stimulate investment in the sector, developing exhibition and conference centers at the highest international standards in partnership with the private sector, developing the capabilities of exhibition organizers, quality standards, providing valuable information and measuring development impacts, and providing opportunities for the private sector. The sector has all the ingredients to be in an advanced position among the countries of the region due to the presence of the local market and the large purchasing power, the potential, infrastructure and airports that are now being developed in our country, and the great demand for exhibitions and conferences of all kinds from citizens and residents.”
His Highness stressed that the National Program for Exhibitions and Conferences represents a new start for one of the most important economic tracks in our country, and the program will apply the partnership approach used by the General Authority for Tourism and Antiquities through consultation and cooperation with all institutions and companies working in the exhibition and conferences sector to develop the existing regulatory environment and identify pathways for growth and investment. He added: ”As we look forward to a new phase for this important economic sector, we assure that the development will take place in an organized and systematic manner that emulates international best practices, and that the future belongs to serious and qualified companies and institutions capable of providing the best programs and services, which can work in the long term to put our country at the forefront of the countries, God willing.”
His Highness continued: ”We also look forward to the launch of major cities in our country to start establishing exhibition and conference centers that keep pace with the next stage - God willing - and I appreciate in this regard the efforts of His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Governor of Makkah region to develop this economic track in an accelerated manner in the coming period, and to expedite the procedures for licensing an exhibition and conference center in Jeddah as soon as possible, God willing.”
After that, a movie about the exhibitions and conferences sector produced by the Media Department of the General Authority for Tourism and Antiquities was shown. Prince Sultan bin Salman and Prince Mishaal bin Majid then honored the Permanent Committee for Exhibitions and Conferences.
At the end of the ceremony, the sponsors of the forum were honored. HRH Prince Sultan bin Salman also presented an honorary shield to HRH Prince Khalid Al Faisal and HRH Prince Mishaal bin Majed bin Abdulaziz.
HRH Prince Sultan bin Salman and HRH Prince Mishaal bin Majed toured the exhibition accompanying the forum, which includes a number of pavilions for major companies involved in organizing exhibitions and conferences in the Kingdom.
His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz explained in a press statement after the ceremony that the citizen is looking forward to the development of the exhibitions and conferences sector and the tourism sector in general, indicating that they are working in full swing under the guidance of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques - may God protect him - to accelerate the development of national tourism, ”Now, thank God, the state has issued a system of decisions in the past two years and we expect to issue decisions coming soon, God willing, that will contribute greatly to the development of national tourism, the citizen really cannot wait more than he has waited and wishes that his country becomes the first destination in tourism”.
In response to the question of what tourism will offer young people in terms of job opportunities, His Highness said: ”There is no doubt that tourism is one of the most important sectors in providing job opportunities for young people, but it will also provide in addition to job opportunities a lot for young people by familiarizing them with the regions of their country and sensing its history, and to live their country and not only be a tourist but be educated for his country, its history, civilization and the history of this blessed national unity and taste the beauty of his country.”
His Highness pointed out that the National Program for Exhibitions and Conferences has completed all organizational matters aimed at developing this sector and developing the regulations of exhibitions and conferences and the financing process and we look with all attention to the development of exhibition and conference centers, and the Kingdom must have the most prominent exhibition and conference centers at the highest international levels, in some Gulf countries are now building large centers for exhibitions and conferences It does not make sense that the largest economic sector in the region to feed other countries with this industry and does not have large centers for exhibitions and conferences, and I commend the support of Prince Khaled Al-Faisal and the follow-up of Prince Meshal bin Majid to establish a city for exhibitions and conferences. For his part, HRH Prince Mishaal bin Majid bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Jeddah, stressed that exhibitions and conferences are a modern industry and an important pillar of the national economy, pointing out that the city of Jeddah is one of the main cities in organizing exhibitions and conferences and is now in the process of establishing two exhibition centers, the first is an integrated exhibition city in the Prince Sultan Civilization Center and the second in central Jeddah, and they will be two of the largest exhibition centers in the Kingdom, which in my opinion is not enough, as the industry is much larger and is a complete integrated industry that must meet several conditions as it serves major economic and service sectors such as the tourist accommodation sector and others, hoping that it will embrace Jeddah. The forum sessions started yesterday at the Jeddah Hilton Hotel.
