Saudi Gazette report

DAVOS — Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb said people, not technology, must remain at the center of the global travel and tourism industry, warning that digital transformation should strengthen — not replace — the human workforce that underpins the sector.

Speaking at the Saudi House during the World Economic Forum, Al-Khateeb stressed that innovation must go hand in hand with protecting jobs and developing talent across the industry.

“People are very important in our industry,” Al-Khateeb said. “Today, the industry employs around 1.6 billion people worldwide — 45 percent of them women and 80 percent youth.”

Against that backdrop, he cautioned against allowing automation to displace workers.

“We need to protect them,” he said.

Drawing on Saudi Arabia’s own experience, the minister said the Kingdom is positioning workforce development as a core pillar of its tourism strategy, aiming to serve as a global model for balancing innovation with human capital.

He emphasized that technological change should be used to enhance skills, productivity, and opportunity, rather than erode employment, particularly in a sector that relies heavily on service, culture, and human interaction.

Al-Khateeb also highlighted Saudi Arabia’s engagement with international organizations and the private sector as a platform to reinforce this approach globally.

“In every engagement with UN Tourism or the private sector, I advise them to keep the people, train them and learn from them,” he said, underscoring the importance of continuous learning and valuing insights gained through travel and cultural exchange.

The remarks were delivered during the session “The Human Code: Designing Capability Systems” at Saudi House, where global policymakers and industry leaders discussed how governments and businesses can respond to automation and digital disruption by investing in skills, adaptability, and human capital.

The discussion focused on building resilient, future-ready talent systems that ensure long-term growth while preserving the human foundations of the global tourism industry.