Under the theme “Tourism and Green Investment,” Riyadh played host to World Tourism Day 2023 on 27 September, aiming to promote growth, sustainability, and interdependence among nations while shaping the future of tourism. Over 500 government officials, tourism leaders, and experts from 120 countries were brought together for the event.
At the conference, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili stated: “This is a chance to reflect on the importance of our sector. Tourism is a pillar of our economies. It plays a central role in our societies and in our individual lives. And it offers solutions to some of our biggest challenges – including the climate emergency and the urgent need to shift to more sustainable economies. The power of tourism is enormous.
“But it is not a force that can be taken for granted. Instead, it must be supported, above all with investment. This World Tourism Day we recognize the theme of Tourism and Green Investments.
“The theme could not be more timely. 2023 was the hottest year on record. And extreme weather events like heat waves could become the new normal. Tourism needs to adapt.
“For this, we need to rethink how our sector is financed. We need to make it easier for investors of all kinds to support tourism projects with the potential to make a difference. Looking further ahead, we need investments that can empower tourism to build a better and fairer future for all.”
Tourism Pledges to Open Minds
In Riyadh, Secretary-General Pololikashvili also introduced “Tourism Opens Minds”, a landmark initiative designed to showcase the powerful role that tourism plays in bridging cultures and fostering peace and understanding. With UNWTO’s latest data indicating the sector is well on track to recover as much as 95% of pre-pandemic arrivals numbers by the end of 2023, Tourism Opens Minds is designed to ensure that this strong recovery is joined by a greater emphasis on tourists exploring less-visited destinations. The focus will be on:
- Making lesser-known destinations more accessible to all tourists and ensuring all visitors receive a warm welcome by host communities
- Promoting lesser-known destinations and actively working to make tourists visit them
- Working with governments and the private sector to encourage tourists themselves to be more open-minded in their choice of travel destination
To mark the launch, UNWTO unveiled a new symbol for the initiative, made up of the colours of the various flags of the world, and shared a pledge for the sector to unite around. A special pledge, to be supported by Governments, private sector leaders and tourists themselves, was shared with select delegates, calling on them to commit to promoting new and diverse travel destinations.
Investing in Tourism Education
To ensure that the World Tourism Day 2023 celebrations leave a lasting impact in Riyadh and across the wider region, UNWTO Secretary-General Pololikashvili joined with Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb to announce a joint project focused on creating new generations of skilled tourism workers:
- The Riyadh School of Tourism and Hospitality will be a collaborative effort between UNWTO, the Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia and Qiddiya
- With 80% of all global tourism education programmes currently focused on hotel operations, the Riyadh School will deliver learning for every part of the diverse sector.
- The School will offer eight different levels of educational programmes including diplomas and certificates through to professional courses and courses at the Bachelors and Master’s degree level.
This cutting-edge institution will boast a sprawling campus exceeding US$1bn in investment and encompassing an expansive five million square meters within Qiddiya. Anticipated to commence operations by 2027, this initiative is described as a generous offering from Saudi Arabia to the global community, extending access to top-tier education in the realms of tourism and hospitality. Al-Khateeb expressed his admiration for the UNWTO Secretary-General’s visit to the school and interactions with students, underlining the school’s commitment to excellence in tourism education. The future campus in Qiddiya, covering an extensive 5,000,000 square meters, promises to be a game-changer in the industry.
UN Secretary-General, António Guterres sent a special message to the attendees, saying tourism is a powerful force for progress and mutual understanding, but that in order to deliver its full benefits, this force must be protected and nurtured: “Today, the climate emergency is threatening many travel destinations and the very survival of communities and economies that depend on tourism. And many developing countries that are severely affected by a changing climate are also facing a growing investment deficit and a cost-of-living crisis.
“On this World Tourism Day, we recognise the vital need for green investments to build a tourism sector that delivers for people and planet. Governments and businesses must invest in sustainable and resilient tourism practices. Private actors must adopt zero-emission pathways, lower their energy consumption and leverage renewable forms of energy. And everyone must protect the biodiversity and ecological balance of all destinations.
“Targeted investments can deliver jobs and support local businesses and industries while mitigating the environmental impacts of tourism, empowering communities, promoting their cultures, and contributing to essential social protection systems. So let us all do more to harness the full potential of sustainable tourism. Because investing in sustainable tourism is investing in a better future for all.”
Saudi Arabia’s Thriving Tourism Sector
Saudi Arabia has emerged as a prominent player in the global tourism arena, with its tourism sector employing approximately one in ten people worldwide. Minister of Tourism Ahmed bin Aqil Al-Khateeb highlighted the pivotal role of tourism as an economic driver, accounting for over 20% of GDP in some countries.
Over the years, the tourism sector has witnessed remarkable growth, evolving into a global industry. In 1970, tourism and global travel represented less than 3% of the global GDP. Today, the sector is recovering robustly from the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to 10% of the global GDP. The number of passengers has skyrocketed, increasing by 700% from 118 million in the early 1970s to nearly 1.5 billion in 2019.
The tourism minister emphasised the significance of international cooperation to foster progress and balanced growth in the tourism sector. He stressed the importance of creating new opportunities for tourism and assisting smaller nations in achieving their tourism aspirations through strategic investments.
Saudi Arabia, as the host of World Tourism Day 2023, reaffirmed its commitment to opening doors to international investments in the tourism sector, enabling the private sector to access global capital for the development of world-class facilities. Natalia Bayona, Executive Director of UNWTO, underscored the importance of creating a new investments framework, focusing on education, sustainability, and innovation. This framework ensures the growth of vocational tourism jobs, aiming to create nearly seven million jobs by 2030.
Reflecting on the Day: People, Planet, and Prosperity
World Tourism Day encourages responsible travel, cultural exchange, and environmental care. It inspires travellers to invest sustainably in the environment, heritage, and diverse cultures, leaving a positive impact on their journeys.
This year’s theme, “Tourism and Green Investments”, calls upon travellers to find innovative ways to invest sustainably in the planet, its people, and diverse cultures, ensuring a positive environmental and cultural footprint.
“Tourism moves people, ideas, and economies. It brings us directly into other people’s lives. Tourism is fatal to preconceptions, as it has the power to bridge cultures.
Following the UNWTO session, Hazim Al-Hazmi, President – Europe and Americas at Saudi Tourism Authority stated on LinkedIn: “Tourism moves people, ideas, and economies. It brings us directly into other people’s lives. Tourism is fatal to preconceptions, as it has the power to bridge cultures.
“Because when we move, so do our minds. And the more we move, the more our minds and hearts open.
“So why then do we so often close ourselves off from the world? And allow the fear of the unknown, the feeling of not being welcome, the worry that the way is not yet paved, make us visit the same places, meet the same people, and have the same stories and experiences.
“Thus, I pledge to work with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to make lesser-known destinations more welcoming and accessible.
“We at the Saudi Tourism Authority | الهيئة السعودية للسياحة are thrilled to support the UNWTO’s “Tourism Opens Minds” campaign, which encourages people to take the pledge and travel locations other than the major ones.
“We invite visitors to explore #SaudiArabia and discover the many new wonders the Kingdom has to offer!”
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