RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia’s efforts to redesign the future of tourism accelerated this week with a string of major initiatives in Riyadh this week.
For the first time in FII history, tourism was brought to the forefront of the global agenda with the special summit, Redesigning Tourism – laying the foundations for future success, uniting more than 150 worldwide tourism leaders from the public and private sectors. During the Summit, the ministry of tourism launched five Principles for Redesigning Tourism, with support of governments and the private sector and endorsed by summit attendees.
Following the special summit, HE Ahmed Al Khateeb, minister of tourism, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and HE Maria Reyes Maroto, minister of industry, trade and tourism, Kingdom of Spain agreed to work together to build a more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive tourism sector that provides prosperity for the long term.
The news comes after Saudi announced its Sustainable Tourism Global Center, a global coalition that will not only help the industry meet net-zero goals, but work to ensure that tourism becomes a key driver of growth for communities all over the world, working with international partners to provide tools to support the sector in developing countries.
HE Ahmed Al Khateeb, minister of tourism, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, said: “This industry is very important. It connects nations, and Saudi Arabia is playing a very important role today, developing a number of initiatives including the Sustainable Tourism Global Center, to build resilience and ensure tourism provides the growth and opportunities we all want and need.”
HH Princess Haifa, vice minister of tourism, Saudi Arabia, said: “We need to enhance collaboration, to sit down at a table together, listen and understand what the issues are, agree on what the issues are and set a way forward. During the financial crisis back in 2008 we said banking is too big to fail. Today I’m telling the world tourism is way too big to fail.”
Julia Simpson, president & chief executive officer of the World Travel & Tourism Council added: “Travel andTourism is a driving force behind the global economy. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic the Kingdom brought public and private sectors together, under their G20 Presidency. Today, they are bringing the leaders of Travel and Tourism to reignite the sector.”
