Winners of the Arab tourism Media Awards and the Arab Heritage Man Award in Oman on Friday.

Several Saudi personalities scooped up awards at the Arab Tourism Media Awards and the Arab Heritage Man Award in Oman on Friday.

Atif bin Mohammed Al-Qadhi, a Saudi writer, won the award for best tourism writer, while Saudi businessman Abdul Mohsen Al-Hakeer won the Tourism Personality Award and Abdul Aziz Al-Tuwaijri, chairman of ISESCO and the Islamic Organization for Culture and Arts, captured the Heritage Personality of the Year Award and the Arab Heritage Man for 2014.

The awards were organized by the Arab Center for Tourism Media under the auspices of Tourism Minister Ahmed bin Nasser Al-Mehrzi.

The Saudi winners were among several Arab contenders for various categories, including Oman, Kuwait, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates.

Participants discussed several issues related to Arab tourism media and new media. Sultan Al-Yahyaie, chairman of the Oman Center for Tourism Media, said that this event was organized in Oman to highlight the importance of developing tourism in the country and the region at large.

Al-Qadhi also expressed his joy on winning the award.

“I was not expecting to win,” he said. “It came as a complete surprise to me and I feel very proud to have brought this honor to my country.”

Several dignitaries, senior Omani officials and representatives from other countries were present during the ceremony.

Al-Mehrzi expressed his joy on the occasion and said that the Arab Tourism Media Center is a leading nongovernmental organization (NGO) that plays an important role in promoting tourism in the Arab world.

Ali Al-Manaie, chairman of the Arab Center for Tourism Media, said that they launched 15 tourism awards in 2012, which were unveiled during the Arab Media Forum.