VENEZUELA: A push by Venezuela to attract tourists and boost its flailing economy by building infrastructure including runways and hotels is doing environmental damage to ecologically delicate areas, especially fragile Caribbean coral reefs already threatened by climate change, conservationists, scientists, government sources and locals say.

The government of President Nicolas Maduro, who blames US sanctions for his country’s economic crisis, has called tourism the economy’s “secret weapon.”

The push has so far failed to attract foreign investors, sources say, despite a Tourism Ministry meeting with French businesspeople and public overtures from Maduro to investors as recently as this month.

But the infrastructure effort is already drawing criticism from biologists, activists and locals, with one conservation group alleging at least one major infrastructure project is illegal.

The runway at the main airport serving Los Roques National Park — an archipelago of 45 islands, cays and crystalline waters spread over 550,000 acres in the Caribbean and recognized by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands — was expanded to 1,300 meters this year from 800 meters, allowing larger planes to land.

The extension destroyed coral, mangroves and a nesting beach for the critically endangered Eretmochelys imbricata turtle, covering it with asphalt and rocks, “among other disturbances that will affect the natural resources of the park,” the Venezuelan Ecological Society said in a report.

Maduro, who has also promoted foreign investment in a project to construct 10 hotels on the nearly virgin La Tortuga Island, says his plans respect the environment.

“Important investors from all over are coming, many from the Arab world, many from Turkey, many from Iran, from China, from India, from Brazil to invest in tourism,” he said on state television in November, hailing “the growth of hotels, guesthouses and tourist services across the country.”

JAIPUR: The Indian state of Rajasthan is preparing for new collaborations with Saudi Arabia, its industry and commerce minister said, following meetings with the Kingdom’s delegation to the region’s first international investment summit in Jaipur.

India’s largest state by area hosted the first Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit this week to draw foreign cooperation, as it seeks to double its gross domestic product to $350 billion in the next five years.

Representatives from over 20 countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the UK, Australia, Japan and Russia, were present during the three-day event that concluded on Wednesday.

The Saudi Ministry of Investment, which set up an Invest Saudi pavilion at the forum, brought 16 delegates for prospective cooperation talks with Indian businesses.

“It was the biggest delegation. I must thank the Saudi Arabian government for this initiative,” Rajasthan Industry Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore told Arab News after a meeting with Saudi delegates on Tuesday evening.

“I see the partnership between the two nations growing stronger. As it is very strong politically, I think even in terms of business, we can move much closer … We had a wonderful interaction. They have already begun to show their interest in mining.”

Rajasthan, with its expansive desert landscapes hosting numerous photovoltaic plants, leads India in solar energy production. The state is also the top producer of marble, home to the country’s largest lead mines, and holds rich deposits of copper and rare-earth elements.

“It’s one of the best places to invest in India … There are multiple sectors that Saudi companies could be interested in,” Rathore said.

“We have a lot of land, we have a lot of sun, and we have multiple sectors, including minerals, mining, renewable energy, petrochemical, logistics, infrastructure, education, agro-based products — innumerable (sectors).”

Cooperation in the hospitality industry was also on the table. Rajasthan has nine sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list, including Jaipur city, six forts built between the fifth and 18th centuries, and Keoladeo National Park, which hosts thousands of native, resident and migratory birds.

“We have discussed if multiple hotels can be set up because tourism is quite big,” Rathore said. “We also discussed the possibility of a Saudi company investing in a luxury train.”

Abdullah Al-Arfaj, director of international relations for South and West Asia at the Saudi Ministry of Investment, told Arab News after talks with the industry minister that discussions “centered around key areas such as agriculture, food security, mining, healthcare, education, and human resources.”

Cooperation in agriculture would focus on innovative practices and establishing reliable supply chains, while in mining it would “develop Rajasthan’s mineral wealth, utilizing Saudi expertise in mining and resource management,” he said, adding that the Kingdom was also keen on attracting top talent from Rajasthan to the sectors of technology, healthcare and engineering.

“These collaborative areas align with our shared priorities and present significant opportunities for long-term economic and social impact,” Al-Arfaj said.

“We explored opportunities to leverage Rajasthan’s strengths in these sectors while aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals to promote economic diversification and sustainable development.”