Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khatib called on the World Tourism Organization to focus on the importance of coordination and cooperation among member states and to benefit from international experiences to boost confidence in local and foreign tourism, by opening the borders while providing the highest health standards for safe travel.
His comments came at the conclusion of the 46th meeting of the World Tourism Organization committee on Monday, which was hosted in the city of Al-Bahah - west of the Kingdom. The meeting was chaired by the United Arab Emirates, in the presence of Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of the UNWTO.
The meeting discussed the challenges witnessed in the Middle East and the world, specifically in the tourism sector following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Saudi minister said that the meeting came as an extension of efforts to confront the virus, emphasizing his country’s strong partnership with the United Nations organization.
Commenting on the role assumed by the Kingdom through its current leadership of the G20, the Minister of Tourism said: “We are working to achieve concrete measures through governments at the regional and international levels, in order to provide solutions that support the tourism sector, and work with governments and international organizations to integrate the travel and tourism sector into economic recovery programs.”
He continued: “The Kingdom was one of the first countries to adopt the initiative of the first global safety stamp, along with cooperating with the World Travel and Tourism Council to develop protocols for global safety.”
