GCC tourism

28 May 2013

Six heads of tourism departments in the region: Helal Saeed Almarri, Mubarak Hamad al-Muhairi, Issa al-Mohannadi, Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, Maitha al-Mahrouqi and Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed al-Khalifa

Helal Saeed Almarri

Position: Director-general, Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM)

Biography: Helal Saeed Almarri was appointed director-general of DTCM in January. He is responsible for executing Dubai’s new tourism vision, which aims to double visitor numbers to 20 million by 2020 and triple the tourism sector’s contribution to the economy to AED300bn ($81.67bn) a year. Almarri is also chief executive officer (CEO) of Dubai World Trade Centre, chairman of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Sports Complex and a member of the Dubai Expo 2020 bid organisation committee. He serves on the boards of several government entities and UAE-based private firms. Almarri has a master’s degree in business administration from the London Business School in the UK. He previously worked a consultant with the US’ McKinsey & Company and Netherlands-based KPMG.

Contact Tel: (+971) 4 282 1111

Mubarak Hamad al-Muhairi

Position: Director-general, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority

Biography: Mubarak Hamad al-Muhairi has been director-general of Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, formerly Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, since its inception in 2004. He has also been managing director and a board member of Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) since 2006. TDIC is the master developer of tourism projects in Abu Dhabi. Al-Muhairi is a board member of several government firms, including Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, Abu Dhabi Media and Etihad Airways, and is vice-chairman for Abu Dhabi’s National Council for Tourism & Antiquities. Al-Muhairi started his career in tourism in 2002 as director-general of the Al-Ain Economic Development and Tourism Promotion Authority. In his role at TDIC, he has been instrumental in the creation of the Saadiyat Island cultural district.

Contact Tel: (+971) 2 666 4442

Issa al-Mohannadi

Position: Chairman, Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA)

Biography: Issa al-Mohannadi was appointed QTA chairman in July 2012. Al-Mohannadi is the former founder and CEO of Msheireb Properties, a real estate subsidiary of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. Prior to this, he worked in senior management roles with several multinational companies in the energy sector, including the US’ ExxonMobil, Italy’s Snamprogetti, Norway’s Aker Kvaerner, France’s Air Liquide and Japan’s Chiyoda. Al-Mohannadi is the founder and chairman of the Qatar Green Building Council and vice-chairman of the Doha Tribeca Film Festival board. He has a bachelor’s degree in natural gas engineering from Texas A&M University in the US. He also has a specialised training certificate in project management from George Washington University, also in the US.

Contact Tel: (+974) 4 499 8273

Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud

Position: President and chairman of the board, Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA)

Biography: Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz has been president and chairman of SCTA since 2008. The commission was established in 2000 and Prince Sultan was originally his secretary-general. He is a former Royal Saudi Air Force pilot. His career has involved high-profile roles in the fields of aviation, science, culture and heritage, the environment and disability and rehabilitation research. In addition to his roles at the SCTA, Prince Sultan is involved at board level in several public and private entities in Saudi Arabia, including the General Authority of Civil Aviation. Prince Sultan has a master’s degree in social and political science from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Social Affairs at the University of Syracuse in the US.

Contact Tel: (+966) 1 880 8855

Maitha al-Mahrouqi

Position: Undersecretary, Oman Tourism Ministry

Biography: Maitha al-Mahrouqi joined Oman Tourism Ministry in September 2011. She is an experienced travel and tourism executive and holds additional titles that include deputy chair of national carrier Oman Air and The Wave Muscat, a real estate development and chair of national sailing initiative Oman Sail. Al-Mahrouqi is the driving force behind several initiatives designed to develop Oman’s tourism sector. These include Oman Tourism’s ‘Beauty has an address’ global brand campaign, as well as deals with Oman Air to attract overseas visitors to the sultanate. Al-Mahrouqi also led the campaign that won Muscat the Arab Tourism Capital 2012 title. Prior to her role at the ministry, she was country manager at Oman Air. Al-Mahrouqi is a graduate of Oxford Brookes University in the UK.

Contact Tel: (+968) 2 458 8700

Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed al-Khalifa

Position: Culture and tourism minister, Bahrain

Biography: In 2008, Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed al-Khalifa became the first woman in the GCC to be appointed information and culture minister. Previously, she was the assistant undersecretary for culture and national heritage at Bahrain’s Information Ministry from 2002 to 2008. As culture & tourism minister, Sheikha Mai has made a significant contribution to the development and preservation of Bahrain’s culture and heritage. In 2002, Sheikha Mai founded the Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed al-Khalifa Centre for Culture and Research, an arts centre in the Muharraq area of Bahrain. Sheikha Mai has a master’s degree in political history from Sheffield University in the UK. She is also an accomplished historian and author, having written several books on Bahrain’s history.

Contact Tel: (+973) 1 729 8777

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