Sustainable development must be the foundation of the Travel and Tourism sector, both now and for the future. Those were the words of Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Quality of Life Programme, Ahmed Al Khateeb, addressing the fourth annual World Economic Forum (WEF) Urban Transformation Summit. The event took place in San Francisco, California, from 21 to 23 October 2024.
The summit brought together 250 participants over two and a half days, with discussions covering sustainable redevelopment, travel and tourism, mobility transformation, innovation ecosystems, nature-positive infrastructure, and technology governance.
As one of the Summit’s chairs, Minister Al Khateeb delivered a keynote speech during the Opening Plenary session. He highlighted the challenges associated with tourism growth, such as overcrowding, insufficient infrastructure, and environmental impacts, and emphasised that prioritising sustainability in addressing these issues will prepare the sector for future success.
He noted, “We are seeing exponential growth in the tourism sector, and in parallel, we are seeing a rising demand for sustainable, enriching experiences. This provides us with the chance to reshape tourism while safeguarding the planet and driving positive change that benefits communities as well as economies, for future generations.”
Al Khateeb added that building a strong global network of industry leaders and experts, who can gather at forums like the WEF Urban Transformation Summit, is vital for creating a sustainable and forward-looking tourism sector. He emphasised the need for collaborative solutions to harness growth opportunities responsibly.
“Tourism and sustainability are key pillars of Saudi Arabia’s Future Saudi Cities Programme and remain a focus for our leaders,” said Al Khateeb. “But we need city leaders, urban planners, and tourism experts from around the world to share best practices at forums like these, to think about the tourism sector and work out how they can support it by creating smart, sustainable, and resilient cities. Stronger public-private partnerships are also essential to transforming tourism into a driver of sustainable development, and we as governments need to incentivise and encourage private partners who prioritise sustainability.”
The Minister also participated in a strategy session titled “Shaping the Future of Tourism” and an executive roundtable discussion on “The Future of Travel and Tourism.”
…
Read also: Strength in unity – Al-Khateeb
…
Photos courtesy of STA
