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5/1/24, 9:14 AM H.E. Bin Touq leads UAE delegation participating in World Economic Forum in Riyadh
At the forum, H.E. Bin Touq took part in a session on the future of sustainable tourism
development and leveraging tourism's potential as a primary driver for agile economic

growth. Other participants included H.E. Ahmed Al Khatib, Saudi Minister of Tourism;

Thiago Alonso de Oliveira, CEO of JHSF; Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of Al Diriyah Group; and
Aireen Omar, President and CEO of RedBeat Capital, Capital A (AirAsia).

Acknowledging the tourism sector’s key role in boosting global economic growth, H.E. Bin

Touq said that it also serves as a key pillar in the achievement of SDGs by 2030. This is
due to its significance and broad impact on delivering sustainable development for nations

through increasing revenues, attracting FDI, creating job opportunities, establishing varied
tourism ventures, and enhancing transport infrastructure.

H.E. Bin Touq explained that in addition to contributing to the growth of related services
and industries such as hospitality, transport services, leisure and retail sectors, tourism

contributes to creating job opportunities for people of all ages, reducing unemployment
rates. He further pointed out that by 2033, this dynamic sector is projected to boost its

contribution to the global GDP to USD 15.5 trillion, accounting for 11.6 per cent of the

world economy. It is expected to provide employment for around 430 million individuals
globally, which makes up almost 12 per cent of the global workforce, as per the World

Travel and Tourism Council's projections.

Importance of sustainability in advancing tourism

During the session, H.E. Bin Touq emphasized that sustainability is key to boosting the

tourism sector’s growth in the immediate future, particularly given the current global

environmental and social challenges. It calls for strengthening collaborative efforts across
all fronts and levels to attain a harmony between economic and environmental progress

as well as social accountability.

Furthermore, H.E. Bin Touq highlighted the UAE's commitment to enhancing the regional
and global tourism infrastructure to ensure the sustainability of the sector. He indicated

that there are challenges ahead for sustainable tourism, most notably the necessity to
upskill the workforce, improving their performance and expertise in tourism, and fostering

innovation and creativity across various tourism fields and activities.

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