• FOREWORD
Tourism with purpose
Shaikha Al Nuwais , Secretary- General of UN Tourism, reflects on Saudi Arabia’s remarkable tourism transformation and the role of partnerships in turning growth into lasting opportunity
F ew transformations in global tourism have moved as fast, or mattered as much, as Saudi Arabia’s. The Kingdom has already surpassed its initial goal of 100 million annual tourists well ahead of schedule. And now it’s aiming even higher, seeking to welcome 150 million domestic and international tourists a year by 2030. Just a decade ago, such numbers would have seemed impossible. But Saudi Arabia has shown that, with the clarity of Vision 2030, backed by a strong political will to place the sector as a leading sector for growth, sustainability and inclusion, in tourism, nothing is impossible. UN Tourism has been proud to have a front row seat to witness, champion and support this remarkable transformation. We opened our Regional Office for the Middle East in Riyadh in 2021. From here, we are working to help shape the future of our sector in the region. At the same time, the Office is home to our global Tourism for Rural Development Programme, created to accelerate the power of tourism much beyond a few popular destinations. Our sector can be a vital driver of growth and opportunity in rural communities, places that have struggled to keep their young people from leaving to major cities or preserve their heritage. Saudi Arabia has been playing a leading role in shaping this agenda. It was under Saudi Arabia’s G20 Presidency that UN Tourism developed the AlUla Framework for Inclusive Community Development through Tourism
in 2020. Inspired by the Framework, the Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism initiative implemented from Riyadh has recognised hundreds of rural destinations around the world, including Saudi villages Rijal Almaa and AlUla Old Town. Whenever I have the pleasure of visiting a community in the Best Tourism Villages Network, I see what sustainable and inclusive tourism looks like in action. It’s not only about the number of tourists, but the positive impact they have on real people and places. It’s about income staying local, about decent jobs being created for women and young people who would otherwise have left, or about cultural heritage and creativity that thrives because a community can turn it into economic opportunity. That’s not to say the road is easy. Rural destinations often lack the basic infrastructure that visitors or investors expect. There are other serious gaps, too: finance, availability of skilled workers, or digital infrastructure. This is exactly why events like WTM Spotlight Riyadh matter so much. Because unlocking tourism as a force for good is not something any single actor, be it a government, communities, or private investors, can deliver on their own. Rather, it requires the very kind of public- private-community partnerships that this event is designed to spark; policymakers, investors and industry leaders together in the same room in a city that shows how to make the impossible possible.
"Saudi Arabia has shown that, with the clarity of Vision 2030, backed by a strong political will to place the sector as a leading sector for growth, sustainability and inclusion, in tourism, nothing is impossible”
8 | SPOTLIGHT RIYADH
Made with FlippingBook Digital Proposal Creator