The head of International Development Bank (IDB) was awarded the First-class Arab Tourism Medal by the Executive Council of the Arab Tourism Organization at a ceremony held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on February 15.

The prestigious award recognises IDB Chairman Dr Ziad Khalaf’s unwavering commitment to supporting the Arab economy by expanding business operations in Iraq to the region, and facilitating commercial transactions between Arab countries through a top-notch pool of companies operating across the economic spectrum, a statement said.

The organisation is led by Bandar bin Fahd Al-Fuhaid, who said that the First-class Arab Tourism Medal is one of the top honours offered by the organisation to prominent figures, including rulers, state heads, and presidents with substantial economic achievements, and who left their positive mark on the tourism sector.

He underlined Dr Khalaf active role in supporting the organisation’s programmes and valuable contributions to achieving its goals.

The Executive Council of the Arab Tourism Organization comprises top tourism ministers of Bahrain, Yemen, Egypt, North Africa and Nile Valley province, Libya, Palestine and Secretary General of the Arab Tourism Organization.

The member ministers of the Organisation’s Executive Council representing Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, Bahrain, and Yemen, along with the Chairman representing Saudi Arabia, had voted in favour of Dr Khalaf, in recognition of his role in supporting Arab tourism.

Earlier, Dr Khalaf had announced a promising partnership between the Arab Tourism Organization and the International Development Bank aiming to enhance collaboration and adopt best-in-line solutions and practices that support tourism which has come to play a pivotal role in boosting Arab economies.

“I’ve always believed that standing for your country and leveraging all resources to strengthening its economy will yield high rewards”, said Dr Khalaf.

“Today, I stand prouder than ever for the honour I have been given to receive the First-class Arab Tourism Medal. Yet, I also find myself facing a new challenge, one that I’m gladly accepting: to strive towards building a thriving Arab economy.

“I am confident that by joining forces and working with perseverance and passion, we will be able to elevate the regional tourism sector to new, unprecedented heights.

“International Development Bank strives to offer innovative financial solutions that meet corporate, SMEs, and retail needs in the region through the adoption of cutting-edge banking technologies and methods.

“The bank has succeeded in backing up several tourism projects thanks to its wide network of corresponding banks in the world, actively supporting the sector according to the agreement signed with the Arab Tourism Organization.” – TradeArabia News Service