TravTalk Middle East Online Magazine
At the Arabian Travel Market 2024, Basmah Al-Mayman, Regional Director, the Middle East, UN Tourism, shares some insights on policies carried out by way of education, investment, innovation, and technology to transform the livelihoods of people across the globe. Diversity and inclusivity are key elements in tourism, she adds. TRAVTALK delves deeper into the story.
Dr. Shehara Rizly
Over the past few years diversity and inclusivity have become key elements in tourism. How does UN Tourism work towards these key areas?
UN Tourism places inclusivity and diversity at the heart of tourism policies through education, investment, innovation, and technology to transform livelihoods of millions, preserve our environment and our culture. It was a remarkable achievement that under the leadership of the 2020 G20 Saudi Presidency, UN Tourism and the G20 Tourism Working Group have developed the AlUla Framework for Inclusive Community Development Through Tourism and the G20 Tourism Ministers Diriyah Communiqué to help fulfil the sector’s potential to contribute to and achieve inclusive community development and the SDGs: AlUla Framework for Inclusive Community Development Through Tourism.pdf. I am so happy, as the UN Tourism Regional Director for the Middle East, the establishment of the UN Tourism Regional Office for the Middle East was an move launched by the Regional Commission of Middle East in 2020.
Accessible tourism is another key aspect. Is UN Tourism taking steps to get it recognised?
UN Tourism has released many guidelines focused on accessibility within tourism with a view to outlining steps the tourism sector should take to build back better, become more accessible and more competitive. These include norms place accessibility at the centre of tourism’s recovery, inclusive development in nature tourism destinations, a new set of user-friendly guides for destinations—ISO 21902 Accessible Tourism for All—and UN Tourism Recommendations on Accessible Information in Tourism.
What part does UN Tourism play in promoting female leaders?
UN Tourism is dedicated to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in the tourism sector. Since 2007, UN Tourism has collaborated with different partners to address gender issues in tourism policies. The ‘Centre Stage’ programme supports gender equality efforts in tourism institutions, businesses, and civil society organisations. The programme, launched for the first time in 2022 in Jordan, aimed at boosting women’s empowerment after COVID. Last March, on International Women’s Day 2024, UN Tourism hosted a webinar for the Middle East region on the official theme of ‘Invest in women: Accelerate progress’.
UN established its regional office in the KSA. What are its key focus areas and how does it help industry achieve targets?
The Regional Office for the Middle East was inaugurated in Riyadh, capital of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is a hub for UN Tourism to coordinate policy and initiatives focusing on sustainable growth in the tourism sector, human capital development, and providing the organisation with a base for development. The office was inaugurated on 26 May 2021 because of the efforts of the Regional Commission for the Middle East to achieve growth in the tourism sector. The office promotes the UN Tourism and Rural Development Programme, aiming to make tourism a driver of rural development and wellbeing. It supports innovation, education, and investments, focusing on supporting Small and Medium enterprises (SMEs), fostering startups, creating jobs, and promoting quality education.
Does UN Tourism play a role in strengthening tourism investments in the region?
The UN Tourism stressed importance of investments in tourism for recovery and future development. We have focused on tourism and green investments on World Tourism Day 2023, held in Riyadh last, urging stakeholders to diversify from traditional investments to one prioritising people, planet, and prosperity. The sector’s nature and consumer behaviour presents new opportunities for investors.
