RIYADH — The organizing committee of the 22nd edition of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit revealed the outlines, the most important features, and the elite attendees of the upcoming global event, which will be hosted in Riyadh from Nov 28 to Dec. 1, 2022, at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.

The summit, running under the theme “Travel for a Better Future”, will discuss several important priority topics, including accelerating the pace of the tourism sector’s recovery around the world, enhancing the tourism sector’s resilience and its ability to face various challenges in the future, as well as ways to ensure the sector’s sustainability.

Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, said: “The Kingdom will witness the convening of the work of the Global Summit in conjunction with the entry of the tourism sector into a new era of prosperity.”

He added: “The summit will bring together leaders and pioneers of the sector from the public and private sectors in the world, which will enhance its essential role in advancing the sector’s future and development.

“There is no doubt that our ambitious goals in the areas of investment, sustainability, and the travel experience can be achieved through cooperation among countries of the world. They will learn about the opportunities it offers in this sector, especially since Riyadh is one of the fastest growing tourist destinations globally.”

The summit will be attended by several Saudi officials including Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman; Minister of Investment Eng. Khalid Al-Falih; Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing Majid Al-Hogail, in addition to the Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb and Deputy Minister of Tourism Princess Haifa Bint Mohammed Bin Saud Bin Khaled.

The summit will also host an elite group of keynote speakers and participants, including Carnival Corporation Vice Chairman and President of the World Travel and Tourism Council Arnold Donald, CEO of Marriott International Anthony Capuano, CEO of Dubai Airports International Paul Griffiths, President, and CEO of Hilton Christopher Nassetta, Matthew Upchurch, President and CEO of Virtuoso, and Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of Diriyah Gate Development Authority, in addition to a large group of world-class personalities in the travel and tourism sector.

President and CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council Julia Simpson said; “We extend our sincere thanks to the Saudi government, which has made effective efforts in the recovery of the global travel and tourism sector after two years of the pandemic. We are pleased to meet this elite of distinguished specialists at this year’s international summit in Riyadh.”

“The travel and tourism sector in the Kingdom is expected to exceed pre-pandemic levels next year, as it is expected to record the fastest growth rate in the Middle East region over the next decade,” Simpson added.

The summit will also witness the participation of several senior officials in the travel and tourism sector from around the world, including Secretary of State for Tourism of Portugal Rita Marques and Minister of Tourism and International Transport of Barbados Lisa Cummins.

Also participating are, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation of the Bahamas Isaac Chester Cooper, Minister Tourism of Bahrain Fatima Al-Sairafi, Austrian Minister of State for Tourism Susanne Kraus-Winkler, and South African Minister of Tourism Lindiwe Nonceba Sisulu. — SPA