UNWTO appreciates Saudi’s efforts for sustainable tourism, calls it ‘remarkable’

“AlUla, as an example, is remarkable, and how it’s recognizing that sustainability is not just about green and blue, it’s about cultural sustainability, social sustainability, environmental sustainability, and economic sustainability,” she said. 

“Unless cultural conservation and community are in (a) balance, you can never have a truly sustainable development environment,” Mendiratta added. 

Leaders from across the world are meeting in Saudi Arabia to discuss the changing trends in global tourism in a post-pandemic world. The UNWTO has expressed a great deal of optimism over the sector's future calling it an industry that was at an intersection of global health care, employment, and the environment.  

“Whatever the shocks, we can always sustain shocks and come through them stronger. 

“We don’t need to build back better, we need to build forward better, we need to make sure that there is no going back to normal, there is no back and there is no normal,” she added. 

She lauded Saudi Arabia’s efforts in promoting tourism and making it central to its Vision 2030 strategy. “It is recognizing the impact that tourism can have at economic, social and cultural, and environmental levels in so many ways through all the initiatives,” she said. 

Mendiratta has further said that this process of having and maintaining a clean environment is a never-ending process because as the world develops and rebuilds, it must do so in a way that will never be damaged again.