I had the privilege to be welcomed by HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud of Saudi Arabia to UNESCO World Heritage site Alula to discuss the social and economic impact of cultural tourism. This meeting took place within the governmental mission led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in which I participated.
It’s amazing to think that the spectacular and beautifully preserved heritage of AlUla is contemporary to the monuments of ancient Greece and yet it has only recently been visited by tourists. Saudi Arabia has a unique opportunity to learn from the experience, successes and mistakes of other tourism destinations blessed with such strong cultural heritage and to redefine the relationship between residents with a strong cultural heritage and visitors from around the world. It was a privilege and an honor to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing global tourism with His Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and to hear, first hand, about the ambitious plans to make Saudi Arabia a global force in the future of tourism.
I am deeply honored and grateful for His Royal Highness’s words of support for my plans for transforming UN Tourism and I look forward to working together with the minister of Tourism Ahmed AlKhateeb so that UN Tourism might contribute more to the sustainable development of tourism in Alula, Saudi Arabia and other World Heritage sites.