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Saudi Arabia Hosts Official Celebration of World Tourism Day

The global impact of tourism is growing in bridging cultures and providing business and employment opportunities. (SPA)
The global impact of tourism is growing in bridging cultures and providing business and employment opportunities. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Hosts Official Celebration of World Tourism Day

The global impact of tourism is growing in bridging cultures and providing business and employment opportunities. (SPA)
The global impact of tourism is growing in bridging cultures and providing business and employment opportunities. (SPA)

Leaders from across the global tourism sector are set to unite in Riyadh for this year's UNWTO World Tourism Day (WTD), which will be celebrated on 27-28 September, under the theme of "Tourism and Green Investments".

Riyadh hosted the event for the first time in 2019.

Marking the most significant assembly of global tourism leaders in the 43-year history of World Tourism Day, gauged by global ministers, industry leaders, and experts in attendance, WTD 2023 will examine the role of investment in people and the planet to secure livelihoods and foster mutual understanding, while exploring opportunities to extend the reach of the industry's economic and social impact to more people around the world, safeguarding prosperity for all.

Hosting this gathering aims to boost Saudi Arabia's position on the map of international events in general, and tourism in particular, as one of the fastest-growing destinations among the G20 countries, and the second fastest-growing country worldwide. The Kingdom is also the chair of the World Tourism Organization for 2023, and the host of its headquarters in the Middle East.

Event participants will also attend a gala dinner in Riyadh's UNESCO Heritage site, Diriyah, to celebrate World Tourism Day.

Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb said hosting this significant global gathering reinforces the status of Saudi Arabia and its pioneering role in restructuring the future of global tourism.

He added that it also confirms the success of Riyadh in becoming a regional hub for the organization, as well as the Kingdom’s initiatives and achievements during the past four years.

“This World Tourism Day, we focus on the vital need to invest in building a more sustainable sector for people, planet, and prosperity,” said Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of the UNWTO.

“The day also makes clear why UNWTO underscores the need for investment in education and for greater innovation as the foundations for long-term growth and transformation. This year's official celebration in Saudi Arabia reflects how tourism is being embraced to diversify economies and generate opportunities for all,” Pololikashvili added.

The global tourism sector is forecast to reach $9.5 trillion in GDP contribution in 2023, according to the WTTC. This is in line with UNWTO's forecast that tourism remains well on track to reach 80% to 90% of pre-pandemic levels this year and is widely expected to exceed 2019 levels in 2024.

The global impact of tourism is growing in bridging cultures and providing business and employment opportunities.

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Will Escalation Stop Israeli Gas Production?

File photo of the Israeli Leviathan field (Reuters)
File photo of the Israeli Leviathan field (Reuters)
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Will Escalation Stop Israeli Gas Production?

File photo of the Israeli Leviathan field (Reuters)
File photo of the Israeli Leviathan field (Reuters)

The American energy giant Chevron, which operates the Leviathan field off the Mediterranean coast of Israel, has decided to suspend work on laying an underwater pipeline, part of its third pipeline project, due to the escalating conflict and fears of potential missile strikes. This follows the earlier closure of the Tamar and Leviathan gas platforms as a “precautionary measure” during the Iranian attack on Israel on Oct. 1.

These developments came as the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the Leviathan field, located 130 kilometers off the coast of Haifa, was the target of a missile barrage fired by Hezbollah on Wednesday morning at Mount Carmel and Haifa. Chevron subsequently activated “special procedures,” stating that it was dealing with an operational incident on the drilling platform.

During last week’s Iranian missile attack, Yedioth Ahronoth noted that NewMed Energy, a partner in the Leviathan and Tamar gas fields (the latter located about 19 kilometers off the Gaza Strip coast), informed the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange of Chevron’s decision to temporarily shut down the Leviathan field for several hours.

“In light of the latest security developments and based on the system’s operational considerations, the operator occasionally halts production from the Leviathan reservoir for certain periods,” NewMed Energy, which holds a 45.3% stake in Leviathan, stated to the stock exchange.

Chevron holds a 39.6% stake in Leviathan, while Ratio Energies owns 15% of the project. Chevron also has a 15% stake in Tamar.

Leviathan’s partners approved a $429 million investment on Aug. 1 to launch the preliminary engineering design phase to increase Leviathan’s gas export capacity from the Mediterranean Sea field to 21 billion cubic meters annually.

NewMed Energy stated that Chevron had informed the partners that plans for laying the underwater pipeline have been postponed until Apr. 2025—initially scheduled to begin in the second half of 2025—due to the deteriorating security situation. The delay is expected to be at least six months, affecting next year’s projected cash flow.

Currently, gas from the platform is transported to the shore and integrated into Israel’s national grid, where it is distributed to Israel, Egypt, and Jordan.

The Leviathan field was discovered in 2010 by NewMed Energy, Chevron (then known as Noble Energy), and Ratio. Natural gas production from Leviathan began on December 31, 2019, and since then, it has become a key source of gas for Israel, Egypt, and Jordan.

The third pipeline project was initiated by the Leviathan partners in July 2023, aimed at boosting Leviathan’s annual production capacity from 12 billion cubic meters to around 21 billion cubic meters. This increase is intended to meet growing local demand and export to neighboring countries and international markets, according to NewMed Energy.

Israel continues to export gas through pipelines from Leviathan and Tamar to Jordan and Egypt. Israeli exports to Egypt rose from 4.9 billion cubic meters in 2022 to 6.3 billion cubic meters in 2023, while sales to Jordan remained steady year-on-year at 2.7 billion cubic meters. In the second quarter of this year, Leviathan’s total gas production reached 2.8 billion cubic meters, with exports to Egypt rising by 12.5% to 1.8 billion cubic meters during the same period, while 0.6 billion cubic meters flowed to Jordan, according to Energy Intelligence.

Goldman Sachs estimates that the potential global market impact of disruptions at Leviathan and Tamar could reduce global liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply by nearly 9 billion cubic meters annually, or 1.7% of global LNG supplies, according to a report by Energy Intelligence.