Barcelona, 17th October 2014

The 8th edition of the Mediterranean Week of Economic Leaders will gather, during three days, hundreds of international and regional business leaders and policymakers from the private sector, as well as policy authorities and international organizations which will discuss and analyze the Euro-Mediterranean policies, as well as the economy situation of the Mediterranean region, highlighting  the opportunities of the Green Economy and the sustainability, as main driving forces for the economic and social growth of the Mediterranean Region.

In the framework of the Mediterranean Week of Economic Leaders in Spain will take place the 6º edition of the Mediterranean Tourism Forum (Meditour) in Barcelona. This forum, organized by the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Beirut and Mount-Lebanon and ASCAME, will have, this year, a special focus on Lebanon and, especially, on Beirut, as a main cultural, intellectual and tourist center in the eastern Mediterranean, and a potential center for ecotourism.

The forum will be inaugurated by the Minister of Tourism of Lebanon, Michel Pharaon; the President of ASCAME and of the Chamber of Commerce and In Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Beirut and Mount-Lebanon, Mohamed Choucair; the President of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation of Barcelona, Miquel Valls, the President of Businessmed, Mr. Jacques Sarraf and Taleb Rifai, from the General Secretary of the World Tourism Organization (UNTWO).

The special session on Lebanon; the challenge of tourism in the country of Cedars will be moderated by the General Director of the Ministry of Tourism in Lebanon, Nada Sardouk. The forum will rely on the participation of the President of the Lebanese Federation for Tourism Industries, Pierre Achkar; the Representative of Ecotourism, Rafic Bazerji; the President of Syndicate of Restaurants, Paul Ariss; the President of Beiteddine Festival, Nora Joumblat, the President of the Association of Travel and Tourism Agents in Lebanon, Jean Abboud and the President of the Municipality of Jbeil, Ziad el Hawat.

The forum represents the most important international platform of networking in the Mediterranean region, and it facilitates the exchange of expertise about the last tendencies in Tourism.

During the sessions, the actions to be faced for recovering the tourism crisis which has directly affected the countries of the north and the south of the Mediterranean as a consequence of the instability in the region will be analyzed. In these countries, the tourism sector accounted for around 8.5 million jobs in direct and indirect employment (a 15% of the total).

Furthermore, the aim of one of the sessions will be the consideration of the initiatives to be undertaken by the sector, in order to maximize the efficient use of the current infrastructure and tourism regional development investment program, which will reach one trillion dollars.

The main objectives of this plan, supported by the European Investment Bank (EIB), are to increase the airport capacity, to increase of the air fleets a 150% and to carry out an improvement of the tourist lodging.

The participants will discuss the available different strategies and good practices  regarding a green and sustainable development of tourism, as well as the role that municipalities and the private sector should have in relation to the promotion of this change regarding  tourism offer in the region.

Finally, attendees will define the need and the features that the future Mediterranean Agency of Tourism should have.  The Agency should have to be able to offer the entire industry key agents, the essential forecasts for making decision.

For further information about ASCAME and the different forums of the Mediterranean Week please don't hesitate to contact us by e-mail communication@ascame.org or visiting our web www.medaeconomicweek.org

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