Salam Tourism Magazine 21 | Page 87

86 We use modern means to care for youths At the beginning of the meeting, Mr. Amari welcomed the tourism magazine›s team as it agreed with the vision and mission of Qatar›s Youth Hostels Association. Established in 1983, the Qatari Youth Hostels are a public interest organization specializing in youth care. It joined the European Union Federation of Youth Hostel Associations also in 1983 and in 1986 became a member of the International Youth Hostel Federation (IYHF). In 2015 it became an active member and succeeded in gaining advanced credentials in quality from the federation. Qatar's Youth Hostels offer safe, tranquil and cheap housing implementing attractive youth programmes reinforcing Islamic morals and ethics Amari explained that the hostels› objectives were to motivate young people to travel, learn and explore by making available affordable and attractive housing and reinforcing Qatari values and Islamic principles in the process. He explained that he envisioned Qatar›s Youth Hostels would promote a greater understanding of people, places and Qatari culture through the education of peace and environment offering an example worldwide by providing excellent and outstanding service. This in turn would promote tourism for youths in addition to social and economic development for Qatar through the cheap, adequate and clean services advocating mutual respect between different cultures.