ICAPTH aims to boost tourism sector
The First International Conference for Academics and Professionals in Tourism and Hospitality (ICAPTH) commenced on Monday at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment in Salalah.
The three-day event, opened under the auspices of Dr Ahmed bin Mohsin al Ghassani, Chairman of Dhofar Municipality, has participation from national and international experts featuring over 30 speakers, eight panel discussions, 15 academic tracks and five specialised workshops. Additionally, 37 research papers focusing on tourism and hospitality will be presented during the conference.
In his comments to the Observer, Dr Saeed al Rubaie put stress on collaboration of academic institutions with the industries. 'About the ongoing conference, I would like to mention that the focus here is tourism and give it a proper boost through academic expertise. Boosting tourism is high on Oman Vision 2040 agenda, as Oman stores a lot to offer to the world with its variety of natural attractions.' 'The event will throw light on Oman's tourism strength and ways to make the sector more dynamic,' he said.
Dr Ahmed bin Ali al Shahri, Assistant Vice-Chancellor of the university's Salalah branch, emphasised on the university's commitment to fostering research and development in tourism and hospitality.
He highlighted the importance of bridging academic knowledge with practical applications to support Oman Vision 2040, which positions tourism as a key driver of economic diversification and sustainable growth.
Dr Ali Akkak, Chair of the Organising Committee, highlighted the conference's dynamic agenda and said, "This conference stands out due to the richness of its programmes. The conference delves into tourism investment, destination governance, sustainability in tourism enterprises, marketing strategies, hospitality management and the role of education in adapting to the artificial intelligence revolution." Dr Nasser Mohammed Al Hamar al Kathiri, Head of Scientific Committee, Dean of Economics and Business Administration College at UTAS, said the ICAPTH is important not only for the academicians, but also for the tourism and hospitality industries.
'We at UTAS try not only to transfer knowledge, but also generate knowledge through research and innovation. To achieve desired goals, we need to sit with the private and government sectors to have a right solution for the issues prevailing in the hospitality and tourism sectors,' he said.
Professor Carlos Vogeler, Former Executive Director at UNWTO, lauded the conference as timely and relevant. He emphasised the need for integrating professional expertise with academic research to ensure tourism education and training align with industry needs.
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