Established in 1996, the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) is tasked with promoting commercial and tourism activities in the emirate of Sharjah. SCTDA endeavours to develop these sectors through various events and activities, and promotes the emirate at local, regional and international levels. SCTDA carries out the work and activities necessary to achieve its goals by way of drawing up strategic plans to further develop and promote the tourism industry in all its forms. By collaborating with other government departments, Sharjah is now one of the most distinguished tourist places in the world, with titles like “Cultural Capital of the Arab World (1998)” and "World Book Capital 2019" from UNESCO among others.