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CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE: 
Why
Spain and not Lebanon or Syria?
An
open letter to Arabs who waste their money
abroad
There are ever increasing
numbers of Arab tourists from the Gulf
region, now opting to go to
Spain
.
This year alone, the Spanish Tourist
Office is expecting over 200,000 Arab
visitors - an increase of over seven per
cent in 2001 - to visit their country.
What is it that makes
us, Gulf Arabs, ignore countries like
Lebanon
and
Syria
,
which in my opinion are much more
interesting than
Spain
,
when choosing our holiday destination? Do
we really need to go to these countries
when greater beauty, better climate and
better food are, figuratively, just on our
door step?
Our reason for
holidaying in
Spain
should be to remind ourselves of the
‘Golden Age’ of our civilisation. By
travelling to what is now Andalucia, we
can still find remnants of the great
Cordoban caliphate that became the first
urban and commercial economy to flourish
in
Europe
,
after the disappearance of the
Roman Empire
.
However, every time I visit
Cordoba
,
Seville
or travel through ‘Al Andalus to enjoy
its beauty, I rarely meet a fellow Arab.
Most of us who come to
Spain
stay by the coast - spending our days on
the beaches, visiting clubs and
restaurants, or just shopping.
While it is good to remember our
past, it also pays to look towards to our
future. Our attraction to
Spain
’s
pleasures has seen many middle class and
wealthy Arab families buy property there,
particularly on the
Costa
Del Sol
,
were there are in excess of 10,000
properties owned by people from the Gulf
region. We have also spent millions of
dollars in
Spain
,
building mosques and endowing places of
learning, while the Arab League has paid
for the restoration of a Moorish Mediation
Garden in Andalucia.
Not content with pouring money into property, education and
restoration, it is estimated that each
Arab tourist spends over $700 a day during
their stay in the country. According to a
Spanish estimate,
Spain
will add $320 million to its economy from
Arab tourists in 2002. Over the years
Arabs have spent colossal amounts when on
holiday – Arab families alone are
estimated to spend $8 billion on holidays
abroad annually.
Just think what this
sort of expenditure would do, if spent
within the Arab world. Imagine the boost
to our regional economy if we were to
spend out holidays in countries like
Lebanon
and
Syria
,
and build holiday homes there. I would
contend that by holidaying nearer to home,
we would help build stronger economies in
these countries to the benefit of their
people, and this could only be for the
common good. We should not squander our
wealth in regions that in the present
climate of suspicion think ill of all
Arabs, caring little for our rich diverse
culture or us, but only fawning over us
for our money.
I am not suggesting
that you should boycott
Spain
,
for it would be wrong to shun this lovely
country. All I would advocate is that we
look more closely at our own region before
deciding to pack our bags and move to
Europe
for the summer months each year.
Perhaps, some of you will argue
that
Spain
,
with is historic association to the Arab
world, its climate and its food, makes it
a pleasant destination to escape the
summer heat and humidity.
But so are
Lebanon
and
Syria
- both are steeped in the history of the
rise of the Arabs under Islam, and both
are littered with reminders of our past
greatness. They too have excellent
climates, with hot dry summers and mild
winters, very similar to
Spain
;
they too have cosmopolitan cities, beaches
washed by the
Mediterranean
,
and their interiors shelter cool mountain
resorts. Both have wonderful cuisine that
would delight all Arab tastes.
However, there is one big difference between these two
countries and
Spain
,
and that is the culture.
Spain
’s
culture and values are those of
Western Europe
,
whereas, Lebanese and Syrian society is
primarily Arabic. This fact alone should
encourage us to spend some of our holiday
time there. I know from my own experiences
that I feel much more at home in
Beirut
and
Damascus
than I have ever done in
Madrid
.
In
Lebanon
and
Syria
,
I find the sea and mountains aesthetically
pleasing, and the food and climate better;
even the people are far, far more
welcoming. The concept of hospitality to a
guest is one of the virtues of our
society, and is still very much
predominant in both these countries. I
still go to
Europe
,
but of recent years I find myself spending
more and more time in
Lebanon
and
Syria
.
Both countries are safe
for families, have wonderful tourist
attractions, a wide range of
accommodation, from 5-star luxury hotels,
to more modest family hotels and
apartments, and both provide a warm
welcome to visitors. Another attraction of
course, is that Arabic is the universal
language, making communication easier.
Would it not be smarter
to spend our time and money in countries
that welcome us, rather than in those that
only want us for our money? Were you to
spend as many holiday dollars in these two
countries, as you would in
Spain
,
you would be helping to create jobs in
countries where people need them. Your
holiday dollars would enable these
countries to develop and grow.
So next time you are
planning your holidays, consider taking
them in Lebanon or Syria, for not only
will you have a wonderful holiday, but you
will, by your presence, help their people
and their economies.
KHALAF
AL HABTOOR
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