RIYADH: Arab nations need to strengthen tourism cooperation to capitalize on the sector’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, a top official of a regional body said. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Arab Tourism Media Forum organized in Tunisia, Bandar bin Fahd Al-Fuhaid, president of the Arab Tourism Organization, said the number of tourists globally is rising, indicating a strong rebound of the sector after the pandemic — which caused a $300 billion-hit to the region’s travel industry. Headquartered in Jeddah, ATO operates within the framework of the Arab Ministerial Council on Tourism of the Arab League States, with the aim of activating and developing the industry among the regional countries. “It is high time to step up cooperation in the field of tourism, especially as the number of tourists has risen by 63 percent worldwide, exceeding 900 million tourists by the end of 2022,” said Al-Fuhaid. He further noted that ATO will launch cooperation programs with the Tunisian Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts to boost inter-Arab tourism. During the event, held under the theme “The role of the media in the development of inter-Arab tourism,” Al-Fuhaid said that media outlets have a crucial role to play in promoting the sector in the Arab region and boosting the industry as a whole. Mohamed Moez Belhassine, Tunisia’s minister of tourism, said the success of any tourist destination is heavily dependent on how the media promotes it. The first edition of the Arab Tourism Media Forum is being held from June 12-15, alongside the 23rd edition of the Arab Radio and Television Festival. Earlier in May, the World Tourism Organization revealed that Saudi Arabia is the world’s second-fastest growing tourism destination. According to a WTO report, the Kingdom saw international tourism exceeding pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2023 by a total of 64 percent, reaching 7.8 million visitors. Last month, professional services network firm PwC Middle East said in a report that Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector is quickly rebounding from the negative effects of the pandemic amid the presence of challenges including geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties. The report added that the Kingdom received almost 6 million visitors in the fourth quarter of 2022, up 47 percent compared to the same quarter in 2019. PwC further noted that regulatory reforms and the development of attractions like the Riyadh Season Festival are driving the tourism sector in Saudi Arabia, which aims to receive 25 million tourists this year.