RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb recently met his Zambian and Zimbabwean counterparts Rodney Sikumba and Barbara Wodz, respectively, in Uzbekistan.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the UN World Tourism Organization General Assembly gathering in the city of Samarkand.
During talks, the ministers discussed development opportunities in African wildlife tourism.
In a separate meeting, Al-Khateeb met with Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett and reviewed the growth of the tourism sector in the Caribbean.
The Saudi minister also held talks with the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s tourism minister, Didier Mazenga Mukanzu, during which they discussed ways to boost tourism between the Middle East and Africa.
Delegations from 117 countries, including 70 ministerial-level representatives, attended the 25th session of the five-day UNWTO conference, which ended on Oct. 20.
Saudi Arabia will host the next session of the UNWTO General Assembly in 2025. The assembly is the highest decision-making body within the UNWTO, which comprises more than 159 member states, as well as representatives from the private sector and nongovernmental organizations.
The upcoming session of the General Assembly will provide Saudi Arabia with an opportunity to showcase its advances in tourism and enhance international cooperation in the sector.
