Saudi Arabia participates in the 18th meeting of UNWTO in Kazakhstan

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will participate in the 18th session of the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Kazakastan. The meeting will be held today on Sunday, October 4, 2009 in the Independence Palace in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, president of the SCTA, is heading the kingdom’s delegation. HRH is scheduled to deliver a speech in the meeting which will be attended by the Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization Dr. Taleb Al Rifai along with ministers and representatives from more than 153 countries and members of the specialized organizations of the World Tourism Organization.

The UNWTO at its 18th session will discuss a number of topics, the most important of which is the road map to revive the tourism and travel sector, which are a key resource for job creation, as well as reviving the economy, as tourism is considered internationally as one of the most important means of creating jobs across the world. The meeting is also expected to discuss several reports, including the report of the Secretary-General and the executive board, reports from the chairmen of the affiliated boards, and other reports from relevant entities of the organization.

In addition, during this session the activities of the international committee of the tourism assets will be discussed, as well as a declaration to facilitate travel and tourism among other related issues on the schedule. Saudi Arabia will also participate in the meetings of the regional committee for the Middle East, Astana, which will be held on the margin of the 18th session of the UNWTO, which will discuss several topics dedicated to promoting tourism throughout the region.