MoT takes part in Indian Ocean Rim Association ministerial meeting

Muscat - The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) is taking part in the 17th Ministerial Meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) being held in Durban in South Africa, till October 18.

The sultanate’s delegation is being headed by Sayed Adil al Murdas al Busaidi, Tourism Affairs advisor at MoT, accompanied by Adnan bin Saleh al Hammadi, director of Organisa- tions and International Cooperation Department, stated a press release.

A number of topics and issues will be discussed during the meeting, including the establishment of a tourism resources centre for the association’s member countries that will be headquartered in the sultanate.

The sultanate will be presenting a report on the purpose of the centre and its role.

A number of other meetings between senior officials and delegation heads will also be conducted on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting.

These meetings will discuss tourism industry updates and suggest new methods to develop the services to serve mutual interests of the member countries.

The association has a mem- bership of nearly 20 countries including Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Oman is one of the founding countries of the Indian-Ocean Rim Association right from its inception in 1997.