UAE Tourism Media Association Conducts First General Assembly Meeting In Abu Dhabi

The UAE Tourism Media Association held its inaugural General Assembly meeting at the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi. This gathering marked a significant step for the association, which is the first public benefit entity in the UAE focused on tourism media. The Ministry of Community Development declared it, and it is licensed by the Department of Community Development – Abu Dhabi (DCD).

During this meeting, the association's bylaws were reviewed under the supervision of DCD representative Omar Al Mansouri. These bylaws establish Abu Dhabi as the headquarters and define the UAE as its operational area. The association aims to boost specialised tourism media to support national promotional efforts aligned with the National Tourism Strategy 2031.

Members elected an eight-member Board of Directors for a four-year term. Hussain Al Mannaei was chosen as Chairman, Ahmed Saleh Al Buraiki as Vice-Chairman, Nouf Saud Al Dousari as Secretary, and Shlaiwih Saeed Al Mazrouei as Treasurer. Other board members include Mona Khalid Saeed Al Jenaibi, Dr Mohamed Mahmoud Al Azayzeh, Salma Mubarak Thani Mubarak, and Mustafa Abdelazem.

Following the Assembly, the Board convened its first meeting to plan its roadmap and prepare for opening membership to tourism media professionals nationwide. This initiative aims to connect professionals in this field and enhance coordination while developing content that highlights the UAE's cultural heritage using modern storytelling techniques.

The establishment of this association aligns with H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's announcement about renaming the Ministry of Economy to include Tourism. This change underscores tourism's strategic importance, contributing over 13 percent to the national GDP. It reflects a commitment to economic diversification and growth through tourism.

Vice-Chairman Al Buraiki highlighted that this association represents a pivotal moment for tourism media in the UAE. It aligns with the nation's expanding tourism sector and showcases its role in economic diversification and GDP enhancement.

Al Mannaei expressed gratitude to the Department of Community Development for licensing this association. He described it as recognition of specialised media's crucial role in advancing economic and tourism objectives in the UAE.

The association plans to create a professional communication network linking tourism media professionals across various sectors. This network will focus on enhancing coordination and developing content that showcases the UAE’s cultural, historical, and natural heritage using contemporary storytelling tools.

With inputs from WAM