The MDPS, in cooperation with the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Center for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) in Ankara, organizes a tourism statistics workshop on November 3 at the Intercontinental hotel (Doha City). 
   The workshop comes as part of efforts to build statistical capacity for government and semi-government agencies, and in response to the requirements of concerned ministries and bodies. The workshop also responds to the international recommendations released in the 45th session of the UN Statistical Commission. It was held in New York last March when the commission agreed on the member states approval to the World Tourism Organization statistical recommendations launched in 2008.
 The three-day workshop aims to highlight the importance of such statistics in measuring the contribution of tourism sector to the national economy, via bringing to light the statistical concepts, definitions, and methods used in tourism sector assessment.
 The workshop intends also to identify the data sources relevant to this aspect, and train the participants to establish, and publish the tourism-related household and institutional surveys. The Turkish experience and expertise will be of benefit to the participants who will also discover the international standards related to the measurement and use of data to build the tourism sub-account, and to formulate policies, monitor progress, and to make sound decisions in this area.
 Representatives from different ministries and agencies will take part in this workshop, and receive copies of World Tourism Organizations guidelines related to tourism.
 It is noteworthy that Qatar Vision 2030 clarified “the country intends to build a diversified economy, not dependent on hydrocarbons, and where the private sector has more importance and keeps its competitiveness”. Tourism sector is considered at the forefront of the other sectors aiming to attain near-term tangible progress.