Saudi Tourism Minister: Kingdom to Provide 250,000 Jobs while Hosting Expo 2030

In a session entitled "Accelerated Progress in the Labor Market" at the Global Labor Market Conference, Al-Khateeb referred to the inauguration of the National Tourism Strategy in 2019. SPA
In a session entitled "Accelerated Progress in the Labor Market" at the Global Labor Market Conference, Al-Khateeb referred to the inauguration of the National Tourism Strategy in 2019. SPA
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Saudi Tourism Minister: Kingdom to Provide 250,000 Jobs while Hosting Expo 2030

In a session entitled "Accelerated Progress in the Labor Market" at the Global Labor Market Conference, Al-Khateeb referred to the inauguration of the National Tourism Strategy in 2019. SPA
In a session entitled "Accelerated Progress in the Labor Market" at the Global Labor Market Conference, Al-Khateeb referred to the inauguration of the National Tourism Strategy in 2019. SPA

Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb said Thursday the Kingdom will provide 250,000 jobs during its hosting of the Expo 2030 in Riyadh.

He stressed the importance of sustainable jobs that the Kingdom will provide, including 1,000 hotel rooms on the sidelines of the exhibition.

In a session entitled "Accelerated Progress in the Labor Market" at the Global Labor Market Conference, Al-Khateeb referred to the inauguration of the National Tourism Strategy in 2019, which will take the domestic product in this sector from 3% to 10% in 2030, which requires providing one million additional jobs by 2030.

The minister referred to the Kingdom's chairmanship of the Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organization and its hosting of the forthcoming General Assembly of the council under three priorities: the sustainability of the planet and the environment; the assurance of suitable jobs for human beings, tourism growth, travel and double the number of services; and the importance of maintaining place in any tourist destination.

He explained that the world's population will reach 8.5 billion by 2030, noting that there is a digitization process for many services, including the labor market, especially in terms of trade and manufacturing that have been digitized since decades, which has had a negative impact on the labor market.

Al-Khateeb added that the travel and tourism sector represented 10% of the global labor market, and provided 330 million jobs in 2019 before the pandemic, and that airlines and hotels were the most affected sectors globally by losing 60 million jobs, saying: "We are back in the pre-pandemic according to figures by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, and the World Travel and Tourism Council, which is good."

He noted that the tourism sector globally provides 10% of jobs in the labor market, so it is an important sector for growth in the future, stressing the importance of maintaining the human component of the tourism sector as it plays an essential and central role in sharing the cultures from different countries that we travel to.



Saudi Mineral Resources Minister, US Energy Secretary Discuss Strengthening Strategic Cooperation 

The Saudi and American delegations meet at the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources on Sunday. (SPA)
The Saudi and American delegations meet at the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources on Sunday. (SPA)
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Saudi Mineral Resources Minister, US Energy Secretary Discuss Strengthening Strategic Cooperation 

The Saudi and American delegations meet at the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources on Sunday. (SPA)
The Saudi and American delegations meet at the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources on Sunday. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef held official talks on Sunday with US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright as part of his current visit to the Kingdom.

The talks at the ministry headquarters in Riyadh focused on strengthening the strategic relationship between Saudi Arabia and the US in the mining and minerals sector.

They explored ways to expand cooperation in the mining sector and emphasized the importance of minerals in the energy transition, advanced technology industries, and modern economies linked to clean energy, as well as their significance in the electric vehicle industry and its components.

The two sides discussed ways to boost economic cooperation and high-value investment opportunities in both countries and the enablers available to leverage these opportunities in support of deepening their longstanding partnership.

Alkhorayef invited the US energy secretary to attend the Future Minerals Forum, which will be held in Riyadh next year.

Wright later visited the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in Dhahran. He was welcomed by Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, KFUPM President Muhammad Al-Saggaf, and senior university officials.

Wright was briefed on the university's academic and research specializations, as well as its efforts to foster innovation and develop human capital in the fields of energy, engineering, and science. He met with faculty members and students and learned about the university's initiatives to advance educational and research programs in line with the highest international standards.

He was introduced to KFUPM’s international collaboration and academic exchange programs, particularly those with leading US institutions, which are designed to foster knowledge sharing, encourage joint learning, and provide students with global exposure that enhances both their academic growth and career prospects.

This visit underscores KFUPM’s role as a leading academic and research institution in the energy sector and strengthens research and academic cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the US.