SESRIC launched the “International Tourism in the OIC Countries: Prospects and Challenges 2017” report during the 10th Session of Islamic Conference of Tourism Ministers (ICTM), held on 5-7 February 2018, in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The Report examines the performance and economic role of the international tourism sector in the OIC member countries in the latest five-year period for which the data are available. The Report analyses the two traditionally used indicators in measuring international tourism, i.e. international tourist arrivals and international tourism receipts. Moreover, the Report provides a detailed analysis on the state of the intra-OIC tourism.

“Islamic Tourism has a great potential for sustainable growth and significant contribution to the development of the overall tourism sector in the OIC member countries,” the report says. In this regard, the Report dedicates a special section to highlight the “Islamic Tourism”, as a new direction in the tourism sector in the OIC member countries.

Furthermore, the report investigates the topic of promoting regional integration through tourism, which is also the theme of the Tenth Session of Islamic Conference of Tourism Ministers (ICTM). The Report identifies the six potential areas of cooperation that can help promote regional integration among the OIC member countries.

In addition, the report sheds light on the challenges of tourism development in the OIC member countries and the issue of tourism cooperation among them and proposes some recommendations to serve as policy guidelines.

The Islamic Conference of Tourism Ministers (ICTM) convenes once every two years to discuss the tourism related issues of Muslim communities and review the recent developments seen in the domain of tourism in OIC Member Countries, including international tourist arrivals, international tourism receipts and intra-OIC tourism flows.

The 10^th session of ICTM selected Dhaka (Bangladesh) and Gabala (Azerbaijan) as the OIC City of Tourism for 2019 and 2020, respectively.  It was also decided that the 11th Session of ICTM will take place in Azerbaijan in 2020.

Furthermore, the ministers of tourism issued “The Dhaka Declaration” and adopted resolutions to develop tourism sector in OIC Member Countries. The conference also adopted the Strategic Roadmap for the Development of Islamic Tourism in OIC Member Countries that aimed to develop a framework to promote cooperation among the member countries in the domain of Islamic tourism and specifies the needed actions for anticipated changes.

Online Electronic Version

•  International Tourism in the OIC Countries: Prospects and Challenges 2017

(English) (Arabic) (French)

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