The impact of the World Tourism Day 2023 celebrations held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will endure through increased investments in sustainability within the tourism sector and a shared commitment to spreading the sector’s benefits more broadly.
These celebrations, which hosted over 50 Ministers of Tourism and hundreds of high-level delegates from the public and private sectors, featured expert-led panels addressing key themes related to this year’s focus on “Tourism and Green Investments.” UNWTO announced several significant new initiatives during the event.
UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili emphasized the importance of leaving a lasting impact from this year’s World Tourism Day, stating, “This year has been the biggest World Tourism Day ever, and we want to make sure it leaves the biggest impact too. From Riyadh, we have joined our global sector around a pledge to promote new destinations, diversify the economic and social benefits of tourism, and have announced a new school that will transform tourism education in the Middle East.”
“Tourism Opens Minds” Initiative
During the event, Secretary-General Pololikashvili introduced the “Tourism Opens Minds” initiative, aiming to highlight the significant role tourism plays in bridging cultures and promoting peace and understanding. As UNWTO’s data suggests that the sector is on track to recover up to 95% of pre-pandemic arrival numbers by the end of 2023, “Tourism Opens Minds” seeks to ensure this recovery includes a greater emphasis on tourists exploring less-visited destinations. The initiative focuses on:
Making lesser-known destinations accessible to all tourists and ensuring a warm welcome from host communities. Promoting lesser-known destinations and actively encouraging tourist visits. Collaborating with governments and the private sector to encourage tourists to be more open-minded when choosing their travel destinations.
To mark the initiative’s launch, UNWTO unveiled a new symbol featuring the colors of world flags and shared a pledge for the sector to unite around. This special pledge calls on governments, private sector leaders, and tourists to commit to promoting new and diverse travel destinations.
Investment in Tourism Education
To ensure a lasting impact from the World Tourism Day 2023 celebrations, UNWTO Secretary-General Pololikashvili and Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb announced a collaborative project focused on nurturing a new generation of skilled tourism workers:
The Riyadh School of Tourism and Hospitality will be a partnership between UNWTO, the Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, and Qiddiya. Given that 80% of global tourism education programs currently focus on hotel operations, the Riyadh School will provide comprehensive learning covering all aspects of the diverse tourism sector.
The school will offer eight different levels of educational programs, including diplomas, certificates, professional courses, and Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs.
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