Baghdad: The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities has announced the agenda for the third session of the Arab Tourism Statistics Forum, set to commence in Baghdad next Sunday.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the forum, held under the slogan “Tourism Statistics: Sustainability, Prosperity, and Competitiveness,” will be inaugurated under the patronage of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. The event will receive direct support from the League of Arab States, specifically the Departments of Statistics and Transport and Tourism.

Ali Yassin, the official spokesperson for the Tourism Authority, confirmed that nineteen Arab and European countries will participate in the forum. The event will also see representation from international governmental organizations and UN agencies, including the United Nations Tourism Organization, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the European Union, the African Union, and the Arab Institute for Statistics. Global experts from the statistics and tourism sectors will also be in attendance.

Yassin noted that the forum aims to serve as a foundation for sustainable statistics, which are vital tools in formulating development policies and strategies. Topics on the agenda include the Arab region tourism statistics index, non-traditional methods and data in tourism statistics, and the role of statistics in advancing investment and the tourism sector. The discussions will also address the contribution of tourism to gross domestic product, economic growth, sustainable development goals, and international experiences.

The Tourism Authority is committed to hosting Arab and international events and forums to leverage global expertise and enhance the tourism sector, which is a significant driver of economic, cultural, and social growth.