Mrs Suanesavanh Vignaket (left) attends the UN tourism meeting in Saudi Arabia.

Laos signals commitment to inclusive tourism at UN General Assembly

The government has underscored Laos’ commitment to advancing sustainable, innovative, and inclusive tourism at the international level  by participating in the 26th UN Tourism General Assembly in Saudi Arabia.
Minister of Culture and Tourism Mrs Suanesavanh Vignaket and her delegation attended the global conference, which took place in Riyadh from November 7-11.
The meeting brought together ministers, senior officials from over 160 countries, heads of international organisations, and leading tourism stakeholders.
The session was chaired by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, Mr Ahmed Al-Khateeb, with nine regional representatives serving as co-chairs.
Participants discussed gastronomy and wine tourism programmes and the fostering of knowledge-sharing platforms for capacity-building, youth engagement, and academic exchanges. 
This year’s assembly, the first organised in a Gulf country, coincided with the 50th anniversary of UN Tourism.
Discussions focused on ongoing and future collaboration within the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) framework, emphasising tourism, cultural cooperation, and other areas under the Armenian Country-Coordinator role.
Key highlights of the meeting included high-level plenary sessions, election of the next UN Tourism Secretary-General, discussions on artificial intelligence and sustainability, and meetings of the Executive Council and specialised committees.
The assembly approved the election of Mr Shaikha Al Nowais, Minister of Tourism of the United Arab Emirates, as the new Secretary-General of UN Tourism for the 2026-2030 term.
The theme of World Tourism Day in 2026 was also announced: “Transformation and Artificial Intelligence”, highlighting the role of innovation and digital technology in reshaping global tourism.
Discussions for 2027 will focus on “Transforming Tourism through Education”.
Delegates also discussed policies, lessons learned, and recommendations under the overarching theme “Transforming the Tourism Sector through Artificial Intelligence”.
The assembly endorsed China’s proposal to establish a UN Tourism Regional Office for Asia-Pacific and South Asia in Shanghai, approved 17 new members of the UN Tourism Executive Council, and accepted the Dominican Republic’s proposal to host the 27th UN Tourism General Assembly in 2027.
The event concluded with the adoption of the Riyadh Declaration on the Future of Tourism, which outlines shared principles for ethical, inclusive, and responsible AI adoption, and provides a vision for sustainable and inclusive tourism development worldwide.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update November 13, 2025)