The 25th UNWTO General Assembly has concluded, marking a turning point for global tourism and solidifying Riyadh’s pivotal role in the industry, with the announcement that Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will host the 26th UNWTO General Assembly.
Riyadh’s selection as the next host city reflects its growing prominence as a hub for international tourism events, building on the successful hosting of the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Global Summit in December 2022.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will continue as Chair of the Executive Council for 2024. His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism for Saudi Arabia, thanked all Members for their support and reaffirmed his commitment to advancing shared priorities and the Programme of Work. Secretary-General Pololikashvili thanked Saudi Arabia for their continued leadership and for his consistent and ongoing active support of the tourism sector.
The announcement follows the hosting of the WTTC Global Summit in Riyadh in December 2022, where more than 3,000 delegates from over 85 countries and prominent speakers, including former UK Prime Minister Theresa May and former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, gathered to discuss the future of tourism. The summit emphasised the importance of ethical and sustainable tourism practices, setting the stage for Riyadh’s continued leadership in the sector.
During last year’s WTTC Global Summit, an innovative initiative was unveiled—the Environmental & Social Research (ESR). This pioneering research provides comprehensive data on the climate footprint of the global Travel & Tourism sector, covering 185 countries across all regions. It represents a significant step toward understanding and mitigating the industry’s environmental impact. Riyadh’s selection as the host for the 26th UNWTO General Assembly reinforces KSA’s dedication to sustainability.
This month’s UNWTO General Assembly served as a platform for advancing plans to create a more ethical, diverse, and accessible tourism sector. Members received updates on UNWTO’s initiatives to establish new Regional and Thematic offices, including the Regional Office for the Middle East, located in Riyadh. This office has become a hub for tourism education and rural development and has introduced initiatives like the Riyadh School for Hospitality and Tourism, an Education Toolkit for high schools, and the Best Tourism Villages program.
Discussions centred on UNWTO’s Global Code of Ethics and the World Committee of Tourism Ethics. The Assembly welcomed new members to the ethics committee, emphasising diversity and inclusivity. Furthermore, the International Conference on Accessible Tourism, scheduled for November in San Marino, highlights the commitment to making tourism more accessible to all.
World Tourism Day and Future Themes
The General Assembly provided an update on the growth of World Tourism Day, a global observance of the tourism sector’s significance. With World Tourism Day 2023 hosted in Riyadh around the theme of “Tourism and Green Investments,” the Assembly adopted the “Tourism Opens Minds” pledge. This initiative, introduced by UNWTO, aims to promote understanding and tolerance through tourism.
The General Assembly also approved themes and hosts for the next two years. Georgia will host World Tourism Day 2024 under the theme “Tourism and Peace,” followed by Malaysia in 2025, with the theme “Tourism and Sustainable Developments.”
The Assembly focused on strengthening UNWTO as an organization, extending the mandate of the Task Force on Redesigning Tourism for the Future until the 26th session of the General Assembly. This task force aims to guide the global tourism sector through long-term strategy and vision. Nine Member States were selected to serve on the task force, highlighting UNWTO’s commitment to shaping the future of tourism.
UNWTO’s Affiliate Members, representing diverse sectors such as business, academia, and civil society, played an essential role in advancing the organization’s mission. The Board of Affiliate Members highlighted their achievements in promoting economic diversity and resilience within the tourism sector.
The General Assembly also endorsed Secretary-General Pololikashvili’s candidacy for a third mandate, with 73% of members in favour.
