Governments across the Middle East have been urged by heritage experts to consider establishing tourism police departments to protect the region’s endangered heritage sites.

Speaking at a forum organised by the Saudi Authority for National Heritage, Naif Arab University for Security Sciences professor Mohammad Al-Thaqafi expressed the importance of a force dedicated to protecting the Middle East’s heritage sites, something that draws a lot of the region’s international tourism.

"Attendees of the forum and speakers agree on the need to co-operate to establish an authority of high security to protect national heritage from getting destroyed in catastrophes, wars and natural disasters," said Al-Thaqafi, who added that efforts should also go towards educating tourists about their rights and responsibilities at ancient heritage sites.

Echoing Al-Thaqafi’s comments, Ahmad Umoos, representative of the Moroccan Ministry of Culture added: "Take the drawings on rocks and such ancient relics. They are drawn by artists who were expressing emotions resulting from events that happened in history. Natural and ancient wonders are the most destructible kind of landmarks and we must protect them.”

Human interference, including vandalism and lack of awareness, was a significant issue raised at the conference, with requests for further strategies to protect such sites. Across the Middle East, Iraqi and Syrian, heritage sites are being deliberately targeted for destruction, and a force designated to protect them could act as a deterrent.

"Tourism in a big contributor to the economy, however tourism is also rising, improving and opening up to the entire world in the Gulf Region,” said Oman’s representative Said Nasser. “That is why we need to, now more than ever, work together through solid partnerships to ensure the safety and sustainability of tourism in the region.”

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