World Tourism Organization opens first regional office in Riyadh

World Tourism Organization opens first regional office in Riyadh

RIYADH: The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) opened its first regional office in Riyadh on Wednesday. The new office will act as a hub for the UNWTO to coordinate policies and initiatives across 13 Middle East countries. The office will also contribute to promoting tourism products, sustainable development, and collecting important statistics for the sector. UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb, and regional tourism ministers and industry leaders all attended the opening. During the ceremony, Al-Khateeb said: "As the first office of its kind for the World Tourism Organization, it will serve as a beacon for regional cooperation. "We are pleased to host the office in the Kingdom, and this comes within the framework of our commitment to work with our partners in the UNWTO to develop a strong industry based on the principles of sustainability, and opportunities for all, in various parts of the region and the world.“ Pololikashvili said the launch of the first regional office was a landmark event and represents a new direction for coordinating global tourism through regional cooperation. "This new initiative realizes that compatibility at the regional level is the key to unlocking the huge tourism potential in the Middle