RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, November 12, 2025: The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) concluded its 26th General Assembly in Riyadh, marking its 50th anniversary and establishing an Artificial Intelligence (AI) agenda designed to accelerate digital transformation across the global tourism sector. Delegates from 148 member states, including 90 tourism ministers and 70 ambassadors, attended the three-day assembly. The meeting culminated in the adoption of the “Riyadh Declaration on the Future of Tourism,” a long-term roadmap focused on sustainability, digital innovation, and the integration of AI into tourism operations and governance.
The declaration sets out commitments to build resilient tourism economies supported by data-driven decision-making, workforce reskilling, and greater investment in digital infrastructure. The General Assembly featured a high-level session on the role of AI in the tourism industry, bringing together representatives from the public and private sectors, including Amadeus IT Group, Trip.com Group, Microsoft Corporation, and the World Economic Forum. Participants discussed the application of AI tools in areas such as personalized travel services, smart destination management, and real-time data analytics to improve efficiency, safety, and sustainability. The discussions underscored how AI technologies are reshaping the way destinations engage with travelers and manage visitor flows.
UN Tourism also launched the Artificial Intelligence Challenge, an initiative to identify and support tourism innovators using AI to address industry challenges. The Brazilian startup Smart Tour was announced as the overall winner for its use of AI-driven analytics to optimize destination performance and enhance visitor experiences. The initiative reflects the organization’s growing emphasis on practical technology deployment in addition to policy guidance. During the closing session, member states confirmed several structural decisions to expand the organization’s global footprint. These included the establishment of a new UN Tourism Regional Office in Shanghai, China, aimed at supporting the Asia-Pacific region’s tourism recovery and digital transformation efforts.
World Tourism Day 2026 to focus on AI and digital agenda
Delegates also approved the institutionalization of the Africa & Americas Summit as a biennial forum to strengthen interregional cooperation on sustainable tourism development. Leadership appointments were also ratified. Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais was confirmed as the next Secretary-General of UN Tourism, becoming the first woman and the first national from the Gulf Cooperation Council to assume the position. Her term is set to begin in early 2026, succeeding current Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, who has led the organization since 2018. The assembly further approved El Salvador as the host of World Tourism Day 2026, which will be held under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence.” The event is expected to showcase advancements in tourism technology and provide a global platform for sharing best practices in digital transformation.
In his closing remarks, Pololikashvili described the Riyadh Declaration as a milestone for the organization’s next phase, aligning tourism policy with the broader global digital economy. He emphasized that the integration of AI and data technologies is becoming essential for destinations to remain competitive and resilient amid rapid technological change and shifting traveler behavior. The Riyadh Declaration outlines specific areas of collaboration among member states, including developing AI infrastructure, promoting digital literacy in tourism workforces, enhancing cybersecurity, and facilitating technology transfer between developed and emerging markets.
UN Tourism commits to equitable AI-powered transformation
It also calls for closer cooperation with international organizations and private-sector partners to ensure that digital tools contribute to inclusive and sustainable tourism growth. The 26th General Assembly, hosted by the Saudi Ministry of Tourism, concluded with a renewed commitment to position technology and innovation at the core of global tourism policy. The outcomes reinforce Saudi Arabia’s growing role as a convening hub for international tourism dialogue and its broader vision to diversify the global tourism landscape through innovation and investment. As UN Tourism enters its second half-century, the organization’s focus on AI and digital transformation marks a defining moment for an industry that contributes more than 10 percent to global GDP and supports hundreds of millions of jobs worldwide.
The Riyadh Declaration signals a coordinated international effort to ensure that the benefits of technological progress are shared equitably across the global tourism community, fostering innovation, inclusion, and resilience. It underscores a collective pledge by member states to harness AI responsibly, bridge the digital divide, and create opportunities for developing nations to fully participate in the digital transformation of tourism, while promoting sustainable growth and fair access to advanced technologies worldwide. The declaration also reinforces global cooperation to align digital tourism initiatives with climate goals, education, and local community empowerment, ensuring that innovation serves as a catalyst for long-term economic stability and shared prosperity across all regions. – By Content Syndication Services.