عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Business

Key Speakers to take Part in Saudi Arabia's First World Tourism Day

An event at Boulevard Riyadh City in the Saudi capital (Asharq Al-Awsat)
An event at Boulevard Riyadh City in the Saudi capital (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT
TT

Key Speakers to take Part in Saudi Arabia's First World Tourism Day

An event at Boulevard Riyadh City in the Saudi capital (Asharq Al-Awsat)
An event at Boulevard Riyadh City in the Saudi capital (Asharq Al-Awsat)

More than 500 government officials, industry leaders, and experts from 120 countries are set to attend the World Tourism Day (WTD), which will be held in Riyadh for the first time.

According to the recent UNWTO Barometer Report, the Middle East reported the best results in January 2023, with arrivals 20 percent above pre-pandemic levels.

The region continues to be the only one to exceed 2019 levels, with Saudi witnessing extraordinary growth exceeding 58 percent.

The organizing committee for the WTD announced on Sunday that the exceptional participation reflects the significance of this occasion.

- Green investment

WTD 2023, on September 27 and 28, will be held under the theme "Tourism and Green Investments."

The event aims to foster global collaboration to examine investment opportunities and strengthen the resilience of the tourism industry, steering the sector towards an investment-led and sustainably focused future.

On the evening of the first day, a gala dinner will be hosted in Saudi Arabia's UNESCO heritage site, Diriyah, to celebrate WTD 2023.

A WTD 2024 handover session will be conducted between Saudi Arabia and Georgia ahead of Tbilisi's hosting of the event next year.

Hosting this significant event in the heart of Riyadh bolsters the city's global standing and leadership across various sectors, including the international tourism industry.

The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, stated on World Tourism Day: "We recognize the vital need for green investments to build a tourism sector that delivers for people and planet. Governments and businesses must invest in sustainable and resilient tourism practices."

- Participating officials

The Kingdom was elected Chair of the Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for 2023 and hosted the World Travel and Tourism Council's Global Summit in Riyadh last year.

Riyadh also houses the regional office of the World Tourism Organization in the Middle East.

WTD2023 will have a high-level speaker line-up, showcasing the collective movement across the industry to celebrate the sector's successes while exploring solutions to its most pressing challenges.

Key speakers include, among others, Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed al-Khateeb, Investment Minister Khalid al-Falih, WTO Sec-Gen Zurab Pololikashvili, and South Africa's Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille.

Notably, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz recently discussed developments in the Saudi tourism sector during a TV interview with Fox News, revealing that the sector's contribution to the GDP has increased from three to seven percent.

Most Viewed

 
 
Business

Aramco Plans Transition Minerals Joint Venture with Ma'aden

The proposed JV would focus on energy transition minerals, including extracting lithium from high-concentration deposits and advancing cost-effective direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies - File Photo
The proposed JV would focus on energy transition minerals, including extracting lithium from high-concentration deposits and advancing cost-effective direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies - File Photo
TT
TT

Aramco Plans Transition Minerals Joint Venture with Ma'aden

The proposed JV would focus on energy transition minerals, including extracting lithium from high-concentration deposits and advancing cost-effective direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies - File Photo
The proposed JV would focus on energy transition minerals, including extracting lithium from high-concentration deposits and advancing cost-effective direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies - File Photo

Aramco, one of the world's leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, and Ma'aden, the largest multi-commodity mining and metals company in the Middle East and North Africa region, announced on Wednesday the signing of non-binding Heads of Terms, which envisages the formation of a minerals exploration and mining joint venture (JV) in Saudi Arabia.
According to a press release, the proposed JV would focus on energy transition minerals, including extracting lithium from high-concentration deposits and advancing cost-effective direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies. Commercial lithium production is likely to commence by 2027.
This JV is expected to extend Aramco's capabilities into an adjacent sector, leveraging its technological innovation resource and data management skills. It would seek to unlock the potential of the Kingdom's high-value mineral resources, with the aim of helping meet the growing demand for lithium and other transition minerals both domestically and globally. The JV is expected to harness natural resources utilizing a wealth of subsurface data and emerging technologies to advance the Kingdom's economic diversification and energy ambitions, according to SPA.
The statements also added that there is significant potential for the extraction of energy transition minerals in the Kingdom. For example, Aramco has identified several areas with a high lithium concentration of up to 400 parts per million as part of its operations. The JV will benefit from Aramco's expertise and operations, including the use of existing infrastructure, industry-leading drilling operations, and more than 90 years of geological data in its area of operations.
Aramco Upstream President Nasir K. Al-Naimi said, "This announcement reflects Aramco's focus on positively contributing to the global energy transition. The proposed JV will enable the extraction of energy transition minerals, contributing to the growth of more sustainable energy solutions while diversifying our portfolio for a lower-carbon future. We expect that this partnership will leverage the world's leading upstream enterprise to apply significant low-cost advantages, industry experience, technological innovation, accumulated subsurface knowledge and an integrated supply chain ecosystem, with a view to meeting the Kingdom and potentially the world's projected lithium demand."
Ma'aden Senior Vice President of Exploration Darryl Clark stated, "Ma'aden has been undertaking one of the world's largest single-jurisdiction exploration programs across the Arabian Shield to unearth the estimated $2.5 trillion mineral endowment. This proposed JV would enable us to accelerate exploration of the Arabian Platform, combining Aramco's knowledge of the area with Ma'aden's mining and exploration expertise."
Lithium is a fundamental component of the energy transition, essential for production in fast-growing sectors such as electric vehicles, energy storage, and renewables. The global demand for lithium has tripled over the past five years, and its compound annual growth rate is anticipated to exceed 15% annually through 2035. The JV could help meet the Kingdom's forecasted demand for lithium, which is expected to grow twenty-fold between 2024 and 2030, supporting an estimated 500,000 electric vehicle batteries and 110 GW of renewables.
The planned JV, which is subject to customary closing conditions including regulatory approvals, was announced during the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh.