Saudi tourism minister heads UN conference

Thursday, October 19, 2023

Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Saudi Minister of Tourism, headed the 119th session of the Executive Council of the UN World Tourism Organization. This conference was being hosted as part of the UNWTO General Assembly being organized until Oct. 20 th in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Uzbekistan, inaugurated the 25th session of the assembly, and was attended by high-level delegates and ministers from over 150 countries.

Al-Khateeb also met with Fatim-Zahra Ammor, the Minister of Tourism, Morocco, followed by Aziz Abduhakimov, the Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection of Uzbekistan, and Yanina Alejandra Martinez, the Secretary of Tourism, Argentina, on the sidelines of the assembly.

The talks all encircled around the methods to improve collaboration, promotion of sustainable tourism, and execute the best practices in the sector. To six new countries, the Saudi Ministry of Tourism, on Tuesday, has extended its electronic tourist visa, bringing the total to 63 countries.

The recent additions to this arrangement are Thailand, Panama, Turkiye, Seychelles, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Mauritius. Visa holders will be permitted to come to Saudi Arabia for tourism, Umrah outside of the Hajj times, trips to get close with family, and events. The recent move is another step toward supporting
Vision 2030 goals.

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