Sharjah President of Trade and Tourism Authority Visits Athens City Hall

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, president of the Commerce and Tourism Development Authority of the Arab Emirate of Sharjah, and his colleagues visited Athens City Hall on 22 April as Air Arabia, the Middle East's first low-cost airline, launched regular flights between Athens and Sharjah.

The delegation was welcomed by Athens Deputy Mayor for International Relations Sophia Daskalaki-Mytilineou. The goal of the meeting was to discuss the potential for cooperation in economic and tourism development between Athens and Sharjah through specific efforts aimed at attracting visitors to Athens. These efforts were outlined by ATEDCo Director for Tourism Development Manolis Psaros, who attended the meeting.

Another area of common interest between Athens and Sharjah is the staging of activities within a cultural exchange framework. Sharjah, whose name means "rising sun," is the third largest of the United Arab Emirates and has been declared the Cultural Capital of the Arab World by UNESCO in recognition of its commitment to art, culture and the preservation of cultural tradition.

It should be noted that Athens is the first Air Arabia destination in the European Union; three scheduled flights are operated weekly.