RIYADH: On the request of King Salman, Saudi Shoura Council Speaker Dr. Abdullah Al-Asheikh convened a session of the council online on Monday in Riyadh.
King Salman had asked the council to continue its work in the service of the country and the citizens. The decision to convene an online session was taken as a precaution in the wake of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.
Al-Asheikh lauded the efforts of all civic agencies in responding to the viral outbreak. The council approved amendments to the commercial mortgage system and some articles of the mental health care system.
A Shoura Council committee also called on the Media Ministry to forge partnerships with relevant culture, tourism, entertainment, and sports bodies to improve media content and increase the financial resources of all parties.
The council also discussed the report of its finance committee regarding the draft of the accounting and auditing profession system. The proposed system aims to improve the performance of those associated with the accounting and auditing professions in the Kingdom.
Saudi Shoura Council speaker chairs session meeting remotely
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Saudi Shoura Council speaker chairs session meeting remotely
- The council discussed the report of its finance committee regarding the draft of the accounting and auditing profession system
Saudi Arabia champions AI and sustainable growth at UN tourism meeting in Kuwait
- Saudi Tourism Minister says tourism today accounts for approximately 10 percent of the world economy, contributing about $10 trillion to global GDP
KUWAIT CITY: Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb has called for stronger international cooperation to build a tourism ecosystem that is integrated, resilient, and future-ready, the Saudi Press Agency reported Thursday.
In a opening address at the 52nd UN Tourism Regional Commission for the Middle East in Kuwait City, he noted that tourism is “no longer a peripheral activity but a massive engine of economic development.”
“With an estimated contribution exceeding $10 trillion to global GDP, tourism today accounts for approximately 10 percent of the world economy,” said Al-Khateeb, speaking as president of the 26th UN Tourism General Assembly. The three-day conference opened on Feb. 10.
He pointed to the Middle East’s exceptional recovery, which recorded a 39 percent increase in international arrivals in 2025 compared to 2019, welcoming nearly 100 million visitors last year.
The minister highlighted Saudi Arabia’s driving force behind these regional statistics, noting that the Kingdom now represents approximately 30% of the Middle East tourism market in both visitor numbers and spending.
“We are proud that Saudi tourism’s uninterrupted growth has become a driving force for regional tourism, and we look forward to continuing our close cooperation with UN Tourism to share our expertise with the world,” he said.
Focus on AI
Addressing the meeting’s central theme of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Al-Khateeb emphasized the need for responsible innovation. He described AI as a key enabler for growth but stressed that the “human touch” defining the hospitality sector must be maintained and the workforce protected.
On the sidelines of the regional commission, the minister met with counterparts from across the region to explore ways to promote regional cooperation and alignment to enhance resilience and build tourism industries that can drive inclusive economic and social development.
Al-Khateeb also met with leading investors from Kuwait to discuss investments in the Kingdom’s tourism sector and explore new opportunities to leverage Saudi Arabia’s integrated investment ecosystem, designed to enable regional and international investors to achieve sustainable, long-term value.
The 52nd UN Tourism Regional Commission for the Middle East is the first held in the region since the 26th UN Tourism General Assembly, hosted in Riyadh last November.
That assembly resulted in the historic “Riyadh Declaration on the Future of Tourism,” which established a global consensus on sustainability, inclusive growth, and the responsible adoption of human-centric AI for the next fifty years.
