As Riyadh event closes, WTTC posts record figures for Saudi tourism
During the closing session of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit in Riyadh, the Rwandan capital of Kigali was announced as the host city for 2023, marking the first time the event will visit Africa.
Rwanda, home to the International Gorilla Conservation Program, will showcase the power of sustainable tourism to protect biodiversity and create thriving communities.
The WTTC closed out the largest Global Summit in its history today with more than 3,000 delegates attending the event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The world tourism body's Global Summit featured speakers including former UK Prime Minister Theresa May, former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and actor, filmmaker and Golden Globe winner Edward norton.
More than 85 countries and more than 50 ministers attended the most influential travel and tourism event on the calendar, the record-breaking WTTC World Summit.
More than 250 media delegates from around the world attended the event, with thousands of people around the world watching remotely.
During the event, WTTC and the Ministry of Tourism of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia launched the Environmental and Social Research (ESR).
This groundbreaking new data details the climate footprint of the global travel and tourism sector and, for the first time in the world, this research covers 185 countries across all regions and will be updated each year with the latest figures.
The WTTC has also released its Cities Economic Impact Report (EIR).
Sponsored by Visa, the report shows that cities continue to be the engines of global tourism and will drive the recovery of the sector and economies around the world.
Addressing delegates during her closing remarks, Julia Simpson, WTTC President and CEO, said: “Saudi Arabia will be the next major destination for visitors as it invests $800 billion to showcase the Kingdom to the world.
“From the Red Sea to the snowy mountains, Saudi Arabia is full of surprises.
“We are incredibly excited that Rwanda is hosting our next World Summit in 2023. An incredible country famous for its conservation work, Rwanda is building its reputation as a must-see destination.”
Under the theme “Travel for a better future”, the event in Riyadh focused on the value of the sector, not only for the global economy, but also for the planet and communities around the world.