What: The 2022 World Travel & Tourism Council Global Summit Will Take Place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has been named the host of the 22nd World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit, which will take place in late 2022 after the March Global Summit in Manila, the Philippines. The event will bring together industry leaders and government representatives “to drive support for the sector’s ongoing recovery, moving it to a safer, more resilient, inclusive and sustainable future,” according to WTTC.
Why It Matters: Saudi Arabia Will Be in the Tourism Spotlight
As the location host for the 22nd WTTC Summit, it’s Saudi Arabia’s time to shine. The destination has been hindered in the past from rising to the top of the tourism scene, mainly due to the perception that its laws are restrictive and unfriendly toward certain groups of travelers (such as women and those within the LGBTQ community). Now is the time for the destination to prove that it is an inclusive and viable travel option for international visitors from all over the world, especially as the travel industry continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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.
Fast Facts:
- The Middle Eastern travel and tourism sector is set to grow by 27.1% this year (ahead of Europe and Latin America), according to recent WTTC research.
- Jobs in the industry could reach 6.6 million next year (approaching levels from before the COVID-19 pandemic).
- More information on the upcoming WTTC Global Summit in Riyadh will be released soon.
What They Are Saying: Saudi Arabia Has Been Committed to Tourism’s 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, president and CEO of WTTC. “It has been instrumental in leading the recovery of a sector which is critical to economies, jobs and livelihoods around the world. For that we are grateful and want to recognize their incredible efforts by bringing the Global Travel & Tourism sector to the Kingdom next year.”
“I welcome the decision to choose Saudi Arabia as the host country for the next WTTC Global Summit in 2022,” said His Excellency Al Khateeb, Minister for Tourism for Saudi Arabia. “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. I look forward to welcoming all WTTC members next year.”
The Details
World Travel & Tourism Council
