Princess Haifa bint Mohammed bin Saud bin Khalid, Saudi Arabia’s vice minister of Tourism, announced that there are currently 925,000 individuals employed in the tourism sector, of which 45 percent are women. She highlighted the commendable efforts of these individuals in empowering human capital and fostering skills and capabilities for both the present and the future.
These remarks were made during her participation in the ‘Creating a Future-proof Workforce in the Tourism Industry and Beyond’ dialogue session, which took place as part of the Human Capacity Initiative Conference held lately in Riyadh.
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The session included other notable participants such as Dr. Christina Yan Zhang, CEO of the Metaverse Institute; Alistair Gosling, founder and CEO of EXTREME International; Hanin Al-Subaie, founder of the Darent application; and Mohammed Al-Mulhim, founder of Pangea Tourism and Adventure Company.
Technological transformation of global jobs
The Vice Minister underscored that, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF), around 33 percent of global jobs will undergo transformation due to technological advancements, necessitating reskilling and skill development. She further explained that technology will play a crucial role in the tourism sector, enabling entry into new domains and necessitating adaptation. By investing in technology and integrating it into the field, those working in tourism can enhance their development and progress, including utilizing data science for informed decision-making.
Investing in future-oriented opportunities in tourism
Throughout the session, the speakers stressed that cities worldwide are striving to develop their tourism sectors and leverage tools to attract diverse groups of tourists. They emphasized the convergence of virtual reality with the real world and the importance of investing in future-oriented opportunities within the field. Furthermore, they highlighted the need for skilled technicians who can fully harness these capabilities and adapt modern technologies to benefit humanity in various aspects of life.
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