The 28th session of the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism and the 36th session of its Executive Bureau were held on 9-10 December in Baghdad, Republic of Iraq. The sessions were held in implementation of the resolution adopted by the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism at its previous session, held at the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States on 12 December 2024, which stipulated that the 28th session of the Council be convened in Baghdad on 9-10 December 2025, preceded by the 36th session of the Executive Bureau on 8 December 2025.
The meetings were attended by a number of Arab ministers of tourism, as well as His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Maliki, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Economic Affairs Sector at the League of Arab States.
In his address, His Excellency explained that the League of Arab States, through the Technical Secretariat of the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism, is working in close cooperation with member states and with Arab and international organisations and federations to create an enabling environment for tourism investment. These efforts aim to mobilise Arab economic resources in the tourism investment sector, facilitate procedures related to tourism investment in Arab countries, promote the transfer, investment, and protection of Arab capital in the region, and ease the movement of Arab investors among Arab states. Such measures contribute to raising living standards, supporting investors, advancing tourism development, and creating new employment opportunities, thereby helping to reduce unemployment and poverty levels.
The League of Arab States has also worked to establish legal frameworks governing cooperation and coordination mechanisms among Arab countries in this field. These efforts culminated in the formulation of the Arab Tourism Strategy, which was adopted by the Jeddah Summit in May 2023. Relevant committees in the League are currently engaged in developing mechanisms to implement the provisions of this Strategy. In this context, the League recently convened a meeting of the Committee for Developing the Arab Tourism Strategy in November 2025, which resulted in a number of recommendations aimed at enhancing tourist destinations in Arab countries and prioritising tourism development in the most underserved areas.
In addition, a forum on the inclusiveness of tourist destinations was held on the sidelines of the Council’s meetings, with the participation of a large number of Arab experts representing various fields within the tourism industry. The forum produced several recommendations, which were submitted to the 28th session of the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism.
The Executive Bureau was chaired by His Excellency Mr. Sherif Fathy Attia, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of the Arab Republic of Egypt, while the current session of the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism was chaired by His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Fakak Al-Badrani, Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities of the Republic of Iraq. The session addressed a wide range of issues aimed at advancing the tourism sector in Arab countries, particularly in light of the growing challenges facing the region as a result of geopolitical developments. Discussions also focused on the role of the tourism sector in supporting sustainable development in Arab countries, given its substantial contribution to gross domestic product, its impact on improving the balance of payments, increasing foreign and local currency reserves, creating new direct and indirect employment opportunities, and supporting urban expansion through the development of tourist and residential areas.
The agenda of the meeting included several key items, most notably tourism innovation and smart tourism; joint tourism initiatives among Arab countries; the inclusiveness of contemporary Arab tourist destinations; strengthening economic intelligence capabilities in the tourism sector; the Accessible Tourism Guide (tourism for persons with disabilities); the Arab Tourism Capital for 2026; the Arab Countries Tourism Statistics Forum; and the Arab Tourism Strategy.
