Saudi Arabia and tourism are known to think big. With 16 Megaprojects from The Line, Diri yah to the Red Sea Project in progress, climate change is next. The establishment of a global sustainable tourism center is shaping up. It will be MEGA and a gift to the world by the people of Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia built a reputation for delivering and walking the walk, according to HE Gloria Guevara, overlooking the project. “We are laser focussed.,” she told eTurboNews
A highly active and successful Minister of Tourism, His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb, together with his new top advisor known as the most powerful woman in tourism, former Mexican Minister of Tourism HE Gloria Guevara are leading a dream team behind shaping not only tourism in the Kingdom but providing a solution to the problem of net zero and climate change for the world.
The biggest challenge the world is facing is climate change, and tourism is a direct part of it.
It appears Saudi Arabia has already launched the mother of all mega projects to provide the resources and unite the world in finding a solution to the threat of climate change.
The mystery around this project remains for the time being.
All of this is in line with Crown Prince Vision 2030. Saudi Vision 2030 is a strategic framework to reduce Saudi Arabia’s dependence on oil, diversify its economy, and develop public service sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation, and tourism.
The first indication that the Kingdom has its eyes on coming out with a solution to unite the world and put up the resources for experts to respond to this challenge with action was made known to the world in 2021 during the COVID pandemic.
It happened when the tourism world was looking to Saudi Arabia for help, and the Kingdom stood up and delivered.
The world saw Saudi Arabia can react immediately when help is needed, putting talk into action. Saudi Arabia just opened for western tourists when the pandemic emerged in 2020.
Helping the tourism world to master the COVID-19 crisis positioned a new and relatively unknown travel and tourism destination for western tourists into a new global center for the world tourism industry.
A country closed to the western world until 2020 is converting into one of the most open societies in a controlled way but with lightning speed.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is transforming the beauty of the past into the glories of tomorrow, using innovation within its Vision 2030 for a more peaceful and livable world.
Saudi Arabia understood the threat to tourism was not only COVID, but global warming and climate change. Again KSA is stepping up in the world – and for the world.
It started in 2021 when Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attended the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow.
The COP26 summit brought parties together to accelerate action toward the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
This resulted was in the issuance of a special declaration on the environment to ensure a sustainable future that limits environmental degradation, preserving biodiversity, sustainable use of natural resources, and preserving the environment and oceans while promoting clean air and water, dealing with natural disasters and extreme weather events, and tackling climate change.
Announced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the Saudi Green Initiative and the UN Climate Change Conference, or COP26, in Glasgow last year was the establishment of The Sustainable Tourism Global Center (STGC)
The Sustainable Tourism Global Center (STGC)
STGC is the world’s first multi-country, a multi-stakeholder global coalition that will lead, accelerate, and track the tourism industry’s transition to net-zero emissions and drive action to protect nature and support communities. It will enable the transition while delivering knowledge, tools, financing mechanisms, and innovation stimulation into the tourism sector.
STGC brings together governments, international organizations, academic bodies, financing institutions, and industry associations.
The STGC aims to reduce the tourism sector’s estimated 8 percent contribution to global greenhouse gases and move toward net-zero emissions.
