Saudi Minister Of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb Leads Delegation To WTTC Global Summit In Rome

Saudi Arabia's Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, led the country's delegation at the 25th World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit in Rome from September 28 to 30. The event gathered experts, policymakers, and industry leaders from over 70 countries. The Kingdom showcased its successful global model in supporting innovation, enhancing international cooperation, and preparing workers in the tourism sector.

The summit featured the launch of a report titled "Future of Work in Travel and Tourism," developed with the WTTC. This report highlights anticipated challenges in the global travel and tourism sector and suggests solutions. It emphasizes the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital innovation on job restructuring and new professional roles. Al-Khateeb stated, "The report launched by the Kingdom in collaboration with the council highlights the expected challenges in the global travel and tourism sector and proposes solutions to address them, at a time when we are seeing the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital innovation in restructuring jobs and defining new professional roles."

The report predicts a significant labor shortage exceeding 43 million workers by 2035 across major economies. It also stresses the growing need for skills in digital technology, AI, and sustainability. Hospitality jobs face increasing pressures with an expected shortage of 8.6 million workers, highlighting an urgent need for coordinated action.

Saudi Arabia has become a global model for qualifying national workers in tourism. Since 2020, it has provided over 946,000 training opportunities for current workers and those aspiring to join the sector. The Kingdom has also increased women's participation to 46% of its tourism workforce. These achievements align with Saudi Vision 2030's goals to transform Saudi Arabia into a leading tourist destination through digital innovation investment, sustainable development, and enhanced connectivity.

The minister participated in various summit events over three days. He engaged in a main panel discussion titled "Connecting Continents: Crafting Collaborative Tourism Policies for a More Interconnected Future." On the sidelines, he met with global public and private sector leaders, including a roundtable session with prominent private-sector chief executives.

Invitation to Upcoming Events

During the summit, Al-Khateeb invited ministers, chief executives, and partners from the global tourism sector to attend two significant events hosted by Riyadh: the 26th session of the UN Tourism General Assembly from November 7 to 11 and Touraize forum from November 11 to 13. These events aim to develop human capital, stimulate investment, and integrate smart technologies into policies for activating tourist destinations.

Saudi Arabia's tourism sector has recorded notable successes by surpassing 100 million domestic and international tourists for two consecutive years by 2024. The Kingdom's efforts have been realized through numerous programs implemented by its Ministry of Tourism using national professional skills standards.

"The Kingdom is a global model to be emulated," said Al-Khateeb. "It has succeeded in providing hundreds of thousands of training opportunities and increasing women's participation in the tourism workforce to nearly 50%." He added that one-third of new jobs globally by 2035 will come from travel and tourism.

With inputs from SPA