RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb co-chaired the World Economic Forum’s Urban Transformation Summit in San Francisco, the US, held from Oct 21-23 with a focus on sustainable redevelopment.
Al-Khateeb reviewed the future of the global travel and tourism sector, and ways to enhance sustainability and innovation, stressing that sustainable development should be the foundation of the travel and tourism sector throughout the world, Saudi Press Agency reported.
In his keynote speech, Al-Khateeb said that tourism growth faced challenges such as environmental pressures and the need to improve infrastructure. Focusing on sustainability was an essential part of addressing these challenges that would contribute to the development of the sector in the future.
He said: “We are witnessing significant growth in the tourism sector, and at the same time, we are witnessing an increasing demand for sustainable and enriching experiences, which gives us an opportunity to reshape tourism while preserving our planet and promoting positive change that benefits societies and their future economy.
“Creating a strong global community of industry leaders and experts who are able to meet in forums such as the World Economic Forum’s Urban Transformation Summit is important to building a positive and sustainable future for tourism, and developing collaborative solutions to responsibly capitalize on growth opportunities.”
Al-Khateeb said that tourism and sustainability were two key pillars of the Future Saudi Cities Programme, a joint approach developed by the Saudi Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and UN-Habitat.
“We need to think about how to support the tourism sector by creating smart, sustainable and resilient cities,” he said. “Strengthening public-private partnerships is essential to transforming tourism into a driver of sustainable development, and we must all encourage private sector partners who prioritize sustainability.”
The minister also participated in a high-level strategy session, “Shaping the Future of Tourism,” to discuss the future of travel and tourism.
The annual summit brought together 250 participants with discussions centered around sustainable redevelopment, travel and tourism, mobility transformation, ecosystem innovations, green infrastructure, technology management, and other relevant topics in the global tourism sector.
