Saudi Arabia to host first regional office of UNWTO

Saudi Arabia to host first regional office of UNWTO
Saudi Arabia to host first regional office of UNWTO

 The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has approved the setting up of a regional office in Riyadh to support the growth of the Middle East's tourism sector; as it recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.

Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb said the UNWTO's Executive Council members have approved the move to establish the office during a session in Georgia. The office will cover 13 countries within the region; and will serve as a platform to build long-term growth in the travel and tourism sector of the Middle East.

"International cooperation and the role of the UNWTO are more important than ever. I am therefore very excited that Saudi Arabia will become home to the first ever UNWTO Regional Office; which aims to support growth at a national and regional level;" Al-Khateeb said.

"In Saudi Arabia, we are very aware of the transformative power of tourism on the economy and people. We may still be a young destination;" he added.

Recently, Al-Khateeb revealed that the Council of Ministers has given the Ministry of Tourism; the go ahead to open a regional office of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Riyadh; as well as to establish a global academy for tourism training.

It is noteworthy that that the UNWTO secretary general praised the Saudi Summer season during a recent visit to the Kingdom during; which he toured a number of Saudi summer destinations. Al-Khateeb hoped that the Kingdom, together with UNWTO, would launch a set of initiatives to develop the tourism sector in the region.

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