YEMEN Tourism and Promotion Board (YTPB) continues to develop its tourism infrastructure and has announced a series of investment programmes aimed at increasing visitors to the country in the coming year.
According to Abduljabbar Abdullah Saeed Al Salawi, assistant deputy minister for tourism activities and services at the country’s Ministry of Tourism, the government places great importance on the development of the tourism sector and its role as a key contributor to the country’s economic and social development, bringing new job and business opportunities over the next decade.
Six new five-star hotels were opened in the port city of Aden (pictured) for the 20th Arabian Gulf Cup, which ran from November 22 to December 5, offering a total of 814 new hotel rooms along with a range of other facilities.
They included the Palace Hotel, Aden Hotel, Millennium Hotel, Mercure Hotel, Sunshine Hotel and Venetia Hotel. In addition, more than a hundred other lodgings were also completed, ranging from guest houses through to furnished apartments, all of which have added important tourist capacity to the city.
“The Gulf Cup was an important showcase for Yemen, not just from a sporting standpoint but also from a tourism perspective,” said Al Salawi. “We were delighted to welcome large contingents of supporters from our neighbouring Gulf states, who form the largest demographic of all tourist and business visitors to our country and we hope on their return home, they will extol the virtues of Aden as a unique tourist destination.”
The projects in Aden form part of a bigger tourism development plan which last year saw YTPB announce a billion-dollar investment programme with six major projects now underway along the Yemeni coast. Scheduled for completion in five years, the modern, five star, self-contained resort complexes will significantly boost Yemen’s ambition to become a top global destination.
The developments include the Midi coast project in Haja province Doyma Island and Al Mark Island in Al Hudaida, which are both on the Red Sea. In addition, there will be projects on the Indian Ocean, one on Ras Al Araa-Khour Omira coast in Lahj province near Aden, Dabdab coast in Hadramout province and Jasolit coast in Al Muhra province.