Government steps up efforts to boost tourism

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  Arab News - Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) President Prince Sultan bin Salman

 Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) President Prince Sultan bin Salman recently headed a KSA delegation to the first UN conference on tourism and culture in Cambodia, where he sought to build partnerships to boost the Kingdom's tourism sector.

Saudi Arabia was also represented by the Ministry of Culture and Information in a key conference jointly organized by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in the city of Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Prince Sultan reviewed the Kingdom's efforts to step up cultural tourism and national heritage projects during the event's opening session and highlighted Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman's commitment to protect the country's cultural heritage.

The SCTA president also presented a working paper on national urban programs and handicraft in addition to urban heritage projects in the Kingdom. The conference concluded Friday with the attendance of 45 ministers of tourism and culture of various countries, as well as officials and experts from 99 nations.

Prince Sultan also participated in the conference's ministerial session, which addressed the necessary framework to foster collaboration between the tourism and the culture sector. During the conference, speakers addressed the need to boost a culturally aware, inclusive and sustainable tourism economy that contributes to the socioeconomic development of host communities and promotes cross-cultural exchanges.

Separately, Prince Sultan conveyed King Salman's greetings to the King of Cambodia Norodom Sihamoni, who expressed his admiration for the Kingdom's economic and cultural reforms.