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Saudi Arabia to Establish Global Tourism Academy

Visitors walk outside the tombs at the Madain Saleh antiquities site, AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Reuters file photo
Visitors walk outside the tombs at the Madain Saleh antiquities site, AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Reuters file photo
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Saudi Arabia to Establish Global Tourism Academy

Visitors walk outside the tombs at the Madain Saleh antiquities site, AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Reuters file photo
Visitors walk outside the tombs at the Madain Saleh antiquities site, AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Reuters file photo

Saudi Arabia will open a regional office for the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Riyadh as well as a global academy for tourism training, Minister of Tourism Ahmed al-Khateeb has announced.

Khateeb indicated Wednesday that this move would improve the quality of services provided to tourists.

According to the minister, the academy will have standards that enable it to be among the best in the world.

The Minister said the Kingdom, during its presidency of the G20, sought to address the concerns of all stakeholders in the region with regard to the future of tourism.

The Kingdom has put in place initiatives for the recovery of the global tourism sector, which was the worst hit from the coronavirus pandemic, according to Khateeb.

Saudi Arabia has launched a local initiative to revive the domestic tourism sector covering eight destinations within the Kingdom.

This has been welcomed by citizens and expatriates, Khatib noted, including the UNWTO secretary general who praised the initiative during his visit to the Kingdom last week when he toured a number of Saudi summer destinations.

Khateeb hoped that the Kingdom, together with UNWTO, would launch a set of initiatives to develop the tourism sector in the region.

The Minister also pointed out that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and the government approved the Ministry’s move to open the regional office and the academy.

Majid al-Hokair, head of the Tourism Committee at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Kingdom is making great progress in tourism as a source of major revenue.

Hokair said it is imperative to train professionals in hospitality, which creates great employment opportunities for both men and women.

He estimated the size of the tourism sector in the Kingdom at $40 billion, expecting larger numbers of tourists seeking to discover different destinations in the Kingdom next year.

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15th Turkish-Arab Economic Cooperation Forum Kicks Off in Istanbul

Aboul Gheit addressing the opening session of the forum (Arab League - X)
Aboul Gheit addressing the opening session of the forum (Arab League - X)
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15th Turkish-Arab Economic Cooperation Forum Kicks Off in Istanbul

Aboul Gheit addressing the opening session of the forum (Arab League - X)
Aboul Gheit addressing the opening session of the forum (Arab League - X)

The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, stressed the need for Arab-Turkish economic cooperation to extend beyond trade into broader areas that drive sustainable economic development for both sides.

Speaking at the 15th Turkish-Arab Economic Forum in Istanbul, Aboul Gheit emphasized the importance of collaboration in infrastructure, clean energy, green technology, and services such as tourism and fintech. He also highlighted the potential for joint efforts in scientific research and innovation aimed at mutual economic benefit.

Aboul Gheit pointed out the significant growth in trade between the Arab world and Türkiye in recent years. In 2022, Turkish exports to Arab countries amounted to $46 billion, while Arab exports to Türkiye reached $36 billion, representing a notable share of both sides’ overall trade. However, he urged expanding this relationship to include sectors like energy, technology, and logistics, leveraging the strategic geographical position of both regions as a crucial economic bridge connecting Asia, Europe, and Africa.

The forum, themed “Türkiye and the Arab World: A Global Corridor in Investment, Trade, and Technology,” was organized with the support of Türkiye’s Ministry of Treasury and Finance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other major regional institutions. It aimed to explore new opportunities in emerging sectors such as green energy, fintech, logistics, and capital markets, while addressing the regional and global economic challenges impacting both sides.

Turkish Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Simsek acknowledged the uncertainty facing the global economy, which is limiting growth, especially in global trade. He also noted the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, which are expected to reshape industries and societies. Simsek emphasized the need for Türkiye and the Arab world to capitalize on their potential for economic integration, particularly in this time of global economic shifts.

For his part, Egyptian Finance Minister Ahmed Kojak underlined Egypt’s efforts to ensure financial stability, production growth, and export competitiveness. He pointed to Egypt’s role in regional cooperation, highlighting initiatives such as the electricity grid connection with Saudi Arabia, which showcases the potential for regional collaboration in energy.

Tunisian Minister of Economy and Planning Samir Abdelhafidh focused on the advantages of developing economic corridors between Türkiye and the Arab world, particularly through free trade agreements, while Iraqi Finance Minister Taif Sami Mohammed stressed Iraq’s openness to cooperation with Türkiye, noting the country’s strategic position for global trade.

In turn, Kuwaiti Finance Minister Noura Suleiman Al-Fusam highlighted the need to remove trade barriers to increase interactions between Türkiye and the Arab world, with a focus on fostering investments.