ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the wider context of the Middle East and the Arab and Islamic world, rather than within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) regional context. The current volume evaluates international tourism development and its relationship to the GCC region, dealing with the challenges faced and identifying the future potentialities for tourism destinations in the region. The endeavour is to provide an analysis exposing the socio-cultural, economic, political, environmental and industrial transformations that have an impact on tourism development within the GCC region. The Gulf states of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed the 'Charter of the Cooperation Council' in May 1981, forming the GCC. The Charter of the GCC comprises the Supreme Council, the Ministerial Council and the Secretariat General. The latter body is composed of six Directorates: political affairs, economic affairs, military affairs, environmental and human resources, legal affairs and financial and administrative affairs.
