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Four Bahraini firms vow support to GCET

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BAHRAIN has become the first country in the Arab world to sign a private sector commitment to the Global Code of Ethics to Tourism (GCET) formulated by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

In signing this commitment, the major tourism private sector stakeholders in Bahrain pledge to uphold and implement the values of responsible and sustainable tourism development championed by the GCET.

To start with, four prominent private Bahraini enterprises signed the GCET in a ceremony which was presided by Bahrain’s Minister of Culture Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa and UNWTO secretary-general Dr Taleb Rifai.

The four Bahraini enterprises were Al Safir Hotel represented by its managing director Hameed Al Halwachi; Dadabhai Travel, represented by managing director Aziz Gilitwala; Domain Hotel represented by managing director Patrick De Groot and Mathias Travel led by managing director Richard Mathias.

The event was held as part of the 37th meeting of UNWTO Commission for the Middle East at the invitation of Bahrain’s Ministry of Culture and in conjunction with the International Conference on Exploring New Cultural Horizons for Tourism.

A fundamental frame of reference for responsible and sustainable tourism, the GCET is a comprehensive set of principles designed to guide key players in tourism development. Addressed to governments, the travel industry, communities and tourists alike, it aims to help maximise the sector’s benefits while minimising its potentially negative impact on the environment, cultural heritage and societies across the globe.

According to Dr Rifai, the GCET was adopted in 1999 by the General Assembly of the WTO. However, its acknowledgement by the UN in 2001 expressly encouraged UNWTO to promote the effective follow-up of its provisions.

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