The Saudi Minister of Tourism emphasized the nation’s dedication to fostering sustainable practices within the travel industry at a recent gathering held at the United Nations headquarters in New York. During the UN Sustainability Week, the minister outlined Saudi Arabia’s strategic approach to transforming it into one of the world’s most sought-after tourist destinations, an ambition backed by the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Speaking at the outset of the event, which seeks to bolster the sector’s resilience and its sustainable contributions, the minister spotlighted Saudi Arabia’s proactive measures to mitigate environmental impacts associated with tourism. These actions have played a part in founding both the World Travel and Tourism Council and the World Center for Sustainable Tourism, supported by the Kingdom.
In its capacity as chair of the executive council of UN Tourism over the last two years, the Kingdom has been instrumental in elevating the travel and tourism sector’s presence in global discussions. A collaboration between UN Tourism and Saudi Arabia has birthed a series of initiatives aimed at this objective, including the Best Tourism Villages award, the Tourism Opens Minds initiative, and a task force dedicated to re-envisioning the future of tourism.
The minister also pointed out Saudi Arabia’s strategic role in ensuring tourism was a key topic at the UN Sustainability Week. The Kingdom has notably led the UN World Tourism rankings for growth in international visitor numbers in 2023, outpacing all G20 nations with over 27 million tourists last year. Ambitiously, plans are underway to draw in upwards of 70 million international tourists annually by 2030.
By that year, Saudi Arabia is set to slash carbon dioxide emissions by over 278 million tonnes yearly, designate a third of its territory as protected regions, and plant in excess of 600 million trees. The launch of the Sustainable Tourism Global Center signifies a commitment to hasten the travel sector’s shift towards climate neutrality, alongside safeguarding natural habitats and uplifting communities globally.
Major Saudi ventures, including the NEOM smart city and the Red Sea tourism initiative, are engineered to yield positive environmental, climatic, and community impacts. The Kingdom encourages international cooperation to further sustainable development goals within the global travel and tourism industry.
The minister expressed hope that through their engagement at this pivotal UN event, Saudi Arabia can disseminate a global call for environmental preservation and champion the transformation of tourism into an eco-friendly sector that benefits communities and nations around the world. The UN Sustainability Week, which kicked off at the UN headquarters in New York, will continue through the week.