PR92681

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

- Sustainable Tourism Global Center launches to unite stakeholders and ensure

tourism remains a key driver of growth for communities all over the world

- Saudi puts tourism on the global stage for the first time at FII 2021,

launching the Principles for Redesigning Tourism

- UNWTO founder-member Spain joins Saudi Arabia's efforts to future-proof the

industry

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 & CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council added:

"Travel & Tourism 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 & Tourism to reignite the sector."

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1673052/Ministry_of_Tourism_1.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1673053/Ministry_of_Tourism_2.jpg

Source: Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia