SAUDI CALLS FOR UNITED SUSTAINABLE TOURISM FRONT

THE CEO OF THE Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) has called on the industry to form a ‘Tourism 20’ delegation of world industry leaders, similar to the G20, which was hosted by Saudi Arabia in 2020.

“At the G20, it was very clear tourism was missing in the room. There’s no Tourism 20,” said Fahd Hamidaddin, speaking at last month’s World Travel Market London at a session entitled: ‘Saudi Arabia: a destination of the future – putting sustainability first.’

Hamidaddin told a packed audience on the WTM Global Stage: “Our ambitions are high. We are seeing far. We are trying to build a leading destination framed with sustainability. Everybody talks about sustainability. Very few actually do something about it.”

Underlining the country’s commitment to sustainability, Amr AlMadani, CEO of The Royal Commission for AlUla, said: “Going green for us and being sustainable is not a choice, it’s the way forward.”

John Pagano, CEO of The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), added: “Saudi Arabia is taking very bold steps. We are going to be the largest tourism destination in the world, powered 100 per cent by renewable energy.” He invited other tourism companies to follow this lead, concluding:

“The tech exists. All that’s lacking is the will. Let’s restore nature.”