Uzbekistan Hands Over Chairmanship of the World Tourism Organization to Saudi Arabia

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The 26th session of the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) was held in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from 7 to 11 November.

The ceremony was opened by Aziz Abdukhakimov, Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan, who spoke on behalf of Uzbekistan — the chairing country of the 25th session of the General Assembly, which took place in Samarkand in October 2023.

During the event, Uzbekistan officially handed over the chairmanship of the World Tourism Organization to Saudi Arabia.

“President Shavkat Mirziyoyev defined tourism not merely as an economic sector but as a bridge that opens Uzbekistan to the world and the world to Uzbekistan. Hosting the 25th UN Tourism General Assembly in Samarkand was one of the President’s key initiatives.

Since then, we have made significant progress: citizens of 97 countries can now visit Uzbekistan visa-free, compared to just 9 a few years ago.

Over 700 international flights per week are now operated by nearly 50 foreign and 16 national airlines. As a result, the number of international tourists increased from 6.6 million in 2023 to more than 10 million in 2024,” Abdukhakimov said.

He also noted that to meet growing demand, Uzbekistan invested $8 billion in acquiring 22 new Dreamliner aircraft and worked closely with Saudi Arabia on the construction of Tashkent’s new $2.5 billion international airport, which is transforming the perception of air travel in Central Asia.

The minister emphasized the importance of education and innovation, noting that in cooperation with UN Tourism and the Swiss hospitality school Les Roches, Uzbekistan established the International Tourism Academy in Samarkand — an institution dedicated to training future global leaders in the tourism industry.

Sustainable development has been at the heart of Uzbekistan’s strategy, with a new National Tourism Development Strategy built around three key principles — People, Planet, and Prosperity.

“We are proud to have initiated the UN resolution proclaiming 2027 the International Year of Sustainable Tourism. Uzbekistan also proposed the UN International Code for Safe Tourism and was elected chair of the Intergovernmental Committee, advancing global standards of trust, safety, and responsibility. Moreover, the UN Tourism Silk Road Thematic Office was opened to revive the legacy of the ancient Silk Road as a symbol of connectivity and shared prosperity,” the minister added.

In conclusion, Aziz Abdukhakimov expressed support for the Riyadh Declaration on the Future of Tourism, highlighting the role of artificial intelligence in the industry’s development and the importance of strengthening cooperation between Central Asia and the Middle East to create new opportunities for economic growth and cultural exchange.

The ceremony concluded with the official handover of the chairmanship of the 26th session of the UN World Tourism Organization General Assembly to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.