UNWTO Launches AlUla Framework for Community Development

AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Reuters file photo
AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Reuters file photo
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UNWTO Launches AlUla Framework for Community Development

AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Reuters file photo
AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Reuters file photo

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has launched the “AlUla Framework for Inclusive Community Development Through Tourism”, with a set of transformative tourism practices sustaining livelihoods in local communities.

Tourism Ministers of the G20 nations have committed to stepping up their efforts to place sustainability and inclusion at the heart of tourism recovery and future growth. The implementation of the Framework, presented on the occasion of the Ministerial Meeting, was welcomed by the G20 Tourism Ministers as a tool for achieving a fairer and more inclusive sector.

The Framework provides specific recommendations and tools to support both governments as well as all other key stakeholders in the tourism sector – including regional and local governments, the private sector, industry associations, civil society, communities and tourists – fostering a truly holistic and integrated approach to inclusive community development through tourism.

Calling for a model of tourism development based on Public-Private-Community (PPC) partnerships, the Framework includes a set of concrete programs and initiatives based around four pillars of action – empowerment, safeguarding, prosperity and collaboration. It further defines the key areas of measurement for the impact of tourism in the communities in line with the Measuring Sustainable Tourism Initiative, led by UNWTO.



Saudi Arabia’s NCVC Announces Success of 3 Major Mangrove Cultivation Projects 

Project sites were selected based on environmental priorities, including ecological sensitivity, need for restoration, and technical feasibility. (SPA)
Project sites were selected based on environmental priorities, including ecological sensitivity, need for restoration, and technical feasibility. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s NCVC Announces Success of 3 Major Mangrove Cultivation Projects 

Project sites were selected based on environmental priorities, including ecological sensitivity, need for restoration, and technical feasibility. (SPA)
Project sites were selected based on environmental priorities, including ecological sensitivity, need for restoration, and technical feasibility. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) announced the successful completion of three major projects for cultivating mangrove trees (Avicennia marina) along the coasts of Tabuk, the Eastern Region, and Jazan, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Thursday.

With a success rate exceeding 90%, these efforts come as part of NCVC's broader commitment to protecting coastal ecosystems and enhancing environmental and economic sustainability, in conjunction with the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem.

General Director of the General Department of Forests Eng. Samir Malaika said these projects have helped in the rehabilitation of more than 170 hectares of degraded coastal forests. The initiatives involved planting local Avicennia marina saplings based on scientific principles that consider tidal movements and water currents.

In Umluj, located in Tabuk Region, the NCVC restored around 50 hectares of mangrove forests, positively impacting biodiversity, improving soil and water quality, and protecting coastlines from erosion.

The project has also fostered increased biodiversity, the return of various bird and fish species, the enhancement of natural carbon stocks, and has supported the Kingdom's efforts to address the impacts of climate change.

Project sites were selected based on environmental priorities, including ecological sensitivity, need for restoration, and technical feasibility. NCVC's technical teams conducted detailed field surveys, assessing soil properties, salinity levels, and site suitability for mangrove cultivation, in addition to executing experimental trials.

In celebration of the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem, head of Corporate Communications and Official Spokesperson Abdulaziz Abuhaimed launched the occasion's visual identity. The design reflects the environmental and economic significance of mangroves and aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 objectives of conserving natural resources and promoting environmental sustainability.