Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
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Damascus, SANA- Tourism Minister Bisher Yazigi discussed with resident representative of World Health Organization (WHO) in Damascus Elizabeth Hoff on Monday cooperation and coordination between the two sides on issues of food safety and awareness and promoting health education on the importance of cleanliness for maintaining health, disease prevention and awareness about the harmful effects of smoking in public places.
Yazigi added that the ministry always seeks to develop tourism activities and to improve the quality at tourist facilities especially issues regarding health, food security, quality control and cleanliness to protect the health of citizens, pointing out the direct and continued coordination with Ministry of Health on all matters related to this and commitment of the facilities to public health standards and joint control and development of medical tourism.
Minister Yazigi pointed out the role of the international organizations through cooperation with the government sectors to protect the safety and health of citizens in the first place.
Minister of Tourism said that the ministry is carrying out several programs and projects related to health safety in tourist facilities including the national program of quality which will be launched next March within the ministry’s plan for the current tourism season.
Yazigi said that maintaining food safety contributes to the growth of the tourism sector, noting that despite the significant damage that has affected this sector due to the war on Syria, tourism had seen a gradual return to work particularly with regard to religious and internal tourism.
In turn, Hoff said “we look forward to a fruitful partnership between ministries of health, tourism and WHO in health awareness and supporting health services”, noting that “Syria is one of the first countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region which had ratified international conventions on combating smoking”.
Qabas/ Manal
