UNWTO opens Middle East headquarters in Riyadh

WTO headquarters in Riyadh

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) opened on May 26, 2021, its Middle East headquarters in Riyadh.

The regional office will coordinate policies and initiatives across 13 countries in the Middle East, promote tourism products and sustainable development, collect important sector statistics and exchange information, stimulate investment in tourism assets, and work to identify policies related to health aspects.

UNWTO also launched a program to celebrate the best tourist villages and announced the establishment of Riyadh's first tourism academy dedicated to the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb unveiled on May 27, 2021, the “Tourism Recovery Summit” in Riyadh, where public and private sector leaders met as the sector entered a new phase.

Al-Khateeb said that public-private partnership (PPP) and international cooperation are essential to ensure the recovery of the tourism sector and rebuild it to the fullest.