Greece Joins UNWTO’s Sustainable Tourism Event in Riyadh

Photo source: Tourism Ministry.

Demonstrating its commitment to sustainable tourism development, Greece participated in the two-day “Tourism and Green Investments” conference organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in  Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The event, marking World Tourism Day 2023, brought together world leaders, tourism ministers, and officials from 120 countries.

Addressing the delegates during the event, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili presented the association’s new “Tourism Opens Minds” campaign.

Konstantinos Zikos with UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. Photo source: Tourism Ministry.

On the sidelines of the event, Konstantinos Zikos, who was in Riyadh representing Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni, held talks with Saudi Arabia’s ministers of tourism and investments Ahmed Al Khateeb and Khalid Al Faleh with whom he discussed strengthening cooperation between the two countries.

Zikos also met with Pololikashvili who agreed to hold a meeting with Kefalogianni in the coming days in order to finalize the organization of a UNWTO day event in Greece to take place next spring.

Greece’s participation in the “Tourism and Green Investments” conference comes after the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in tourism in 2014.

Zikos with Saudi Arabia Princess and Deputy Tourism Minister Princess Haifa Al Saud. Photo source: Tourism Ministry.

Saudi Arabia Tourism minister Ahmed Al Khateeb with Zikos. Ahmed Al KhateebPhoto source: Tourism Ministry.

Tourism investments in the spotlight at UNWTO event

Exploring the meaning behind Tourism and Green Investments, the official World Tourism Day celebrations featured a series of expert panels, each focusing one key priority for the sector right now. These included: Investing in people, through education and jobs; Investing in destinations, including new destinations and products to reduce overcrowding and diversify benefits; Investing in innovation and entrepreneurship, and Investing in green transformation.