BARCELONA — Saudi Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Ahmed Al-Khatib, chaired the 121st Executive Council meeting of the UNWTO, held in Barcelona, Spain, from June 10 to 11. The meeting saw the participation of tourism ministers from around the world. In his opening remarks at the meeting, the Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the UNWTO Executive Council said, "Chairing the 121st UNWTO Executive Council meeting was a historic moment for us. It united global leaders to address pressing challenges in tourism and push the global tourism sector towards tangible progress in all aspects. This gathering affirmed our collective vision for the continued prosperity of international tourism, emphasizing the need for innovative models to sustain the sector, create investment opportunities, and continue strategic partnerships." Discussions at the meeting focused on analyzing international tourism trends, implementing the general work program, and regulatory reforms. The meeting also covered strategies for financial growth in the global tourism sector, the importance of investing in human resource development to maintain global competitiveness, and the rising global travel destinations. The tourism sector is expected to contribute up to $16 trillion to the global GDP by 2034. The significant recovery in the number of international tourists has positioned Saudi Arabia as the leader in the Middle East, making it the only region in the world to surpass pre-COVID-19 tourism levels in 2023, with a 56% growth compared to 2019. Saudi Arabia's re-election to chair the UNWTO Executive Council for 2024, for the second consecutive year, is a clear indication and recognition of its pivotal and growing role in creating a resilient and prosperous global tourism sector. Additionally, Minister Al-Khatib hosted a roundtable with senior executives from the private tourism sector in Spain on the sidelines of the UNWTO Executive Council meeting. During the roundtable, he highlighted attractive investment opportunities in the Kingdom under the Investment Enablers Program in the tourism sector and the Hospitality Investment Enablers Initiative. He also discussed the diverse tourist destinations in the Kingdom and plans to enhance air connectivity between Spain and Saudi Arabia, as well as Europe more broadly. Participants in the roundtable included senior executives from leading global, European, and Spanish hotel chains, operators of several tourist facilities in the Kingdom, and organizations looking to expand their presence in Saudi Arabia. These discussions align with the significant development of the tourism sector under Saudi Vision 2030 and coincide with the rising number of Spanish visitors to Saudi Arabia in 2023, with over 40,000 Spanish tourists, marking a 6% increase from 2022. This growth is attributed to the launch of the electronic visit visa by Saudi Arabia, allowing tourists and visitors from 66 countries to explore the Kingdom's vast tourist destinations and capabilities. These efforts are part of Saudi Arabia's ambition to increase the number of international tourists to 70 million by 2030.
