The latest research from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) shows that the Middle Eastern travel and tourism sector is set to grow by 27.1 percent this year – pacing ahead of Europe and Latin America.
In addition, that research shows that if governments prioritize travel and tourism, jobs in the sector could reach 6.6 million in 2022, which would approach pre-pandemic levels.
Riyadh Picked by WTTC
These research tidbits were revealed by the WTTC, which represents the global travel and tourism sector, in conjunction with an announcement that its 22nd Global Summit will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in late 2022. Industry leaders will gather in Riyadh to drive support for the sector’s ongoing recovery.
“Since the very beginning, when the pandemic brought international travel to an almost complete standstill, Saudi Arabia has shown its total commitment to our sector, ensuring it has remained at the forefront of the global agenda,” said Julia Simpson, WTTC’s president and CEO, speaking from at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh.
“It has been instrumental in leading the recovery of a sector which is critical to economies, jobs and livelihoods around the world,” she added.
Al Khateeb, minister for tourism, Saudi Arabia, welcomed WTTC's decision to host a Global Summit in Riyadh: This is a critical forum for the private sector and government to come together to redesign tourism for the future, and it is fantastic to hold this event in the Kingdom. This is recognition of Saudi leadership to help the global tourism sector recover, and importantly, become more sustainable.”
The Saudi Arabia summit will follow WTTC’s Global Summit, set for Manila, the Philippines, from March 14-16, 2022.