• Travel & tourism’s critical contribution to global economic advancement is being elevated on the Annual Meeting agenda through a series of high-level, dedicated official sessions led by WEF and HE Minister Al-Khateeb, featuring influential sector leaders.
• Saudi Arabia seeks to champion the transformative power of travel and tourism, focusing on collaboration and partnership development to catalyze sustainable, cross-border, multi-sector economic growth.

Davos, Switzerland – January 20, 2025 – The pivotal role of tourism in driving economic diversification will take center stage at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos this week. Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb, will participate in the WEF Annual Meeting as part of the Saudi delegation led by His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and will lead the discussion showing how travel & tourism is critical to economic growth and prosperity.

'The Travel and Tourism sector is a cornerstone of global economies and, as we convene in Davos for the WEF Annual Meeting 2025, acknowledging the importance of the sector in discussions is vital,' His Excellency said.

'I am honored to be invited to the WEF Annual Meeting and underscore tourism's potential as a catalyst for inclusive global economic transformation through sustainability, innovation, and collaboration. Saudi Arabia remains committed to strengthening international cooperation and promoting sustainable growth in tourism.'

In collaboration with the Saudi Ministry of Tourism with expert input from Minister Al-Khateeb, the WEF released a new briefing paper on “The Future of Travel and Tourism: Embracing Sustainable and Inclusive Growth” exploring transformative trends of the sector, destination readiness and the importance of cross-sector collaboration. This paper will help drive Travel and Tourism discussions across the WEF Annual Meeting agenda in livestreamed sessions including:

• Travel and Tourism’s role in Building Trust; Tuesday, January 21, 9am CET
• Scaling Sustainable Tourism: Connecting People and Places; Tuesday, January 21, 4.40pm CET
• The Way We Will Travel; Wednesday January 22, 11.30am CET

The Kingdom has also released an Investor White Paper  highlighting Vision 2030 initiatives that are transforming the tourism sector. The paper highlights the significant strides made in developing state-of-the-art tourism infrastructure, drawing international visitors, and offering unique cultural experiences. As a result, Saudi Arabia has rapidly become one of the world's fastest-growing tourism destinations, surpassing its 2030 goal of 100 million tourist arrivals in 2023. Strategically located within a six-hour flight of 40% of the world’s population, Saudi Arabia is poised to be a global tourism hub.

The WEF Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos marks a significant moment in the trajectory of global tourism, and emphasizes Saudi Arabia's dedication to fostering cross-sector partnerships and driving economic growth through tourism. His Excellency Al-Khateeb's active participation will pave the way for new partnerships and initiatives aimed at leveraging tourism for global economic development. The Kingdom remains committed to sharing its vision for a sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous future for the tourism industry, ensuring perpetual growth and innovation.

In addition to participation in official WEF engagements, Minister Al-Khateeb will represent the Kingdom in dialogues aimed at fostering pathways to drive Africa’s development through investment, the role of women leaders in global economies, and strategies to scale sustainable tourism and will engage with key policymakers and influential leaders across both the private and public sectors.