𝐋𝐈𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐀 𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐔𝐍 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐌 𝟐𝟔𝐓𝐇 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐋𝐘 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐘

Press Release

(𝐑𝐢𝐲𝐚𝐝𝐡, 𝐒𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢 𝐀𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐚, 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓) The 26th General Assembly of the UN Tourism opened today in Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where more than 160 delegations from around the world including Ministers of Tourism, senior government officials and private sector actors are attending.

Delegates – including Liberia’s Minister of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism, Jerolinmek Matthew Piah and Presidential Special Envoy on Tourism, Ambassador Christopher Hayes-Onanuga – will deliberate on strategic pathways, seek means to mobilize support and adopt a workable framework on international collaboration for sustainable tourism.

At the invitation of UN Tourism, Riyadh’s General Assembly is Liberia’s third participation at a UN Tourism meeting since the start of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s administration after it was admitted as the 155th Member State in October 2011.

The first was the Women In Tourism Meeting held in Freetown from October 29-31, 2024 and the second was the 68th Meeting of the UN Tourism Regional Commission for Africa (CAF) held in Abuja, Nigeria from June 11 – 13, 2025.

The Riyadh’s Assembly, jointly hosted by the United Nations and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, coincides with the 50th anniversary since the existence of UN Tourism – formerly UN World Tourism Organization based in the Spanish capitol, Madrid. It is themed: “AI-Powered Tourism: Redefining the Future.”

At the opening ceremony, Saudi’s Minister for Tourism, Ahmed Al Khateeb, remarked: “Tourism is one of the world’s most powerful forces for prosperity and understanding — creating jobs, supporting small businesses, and connecting cultures. Guided by Vision 2030, the Kingdom is committed to ensuring that this growth continues to drive opportunity and inclusion — and to welcoming the world with the spirit of Saudi hospitality that defines who we are.”

Outgoing UN Tourism Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili , described the Riyadh’s Assembly as a milestone “to make tourism a force for sustainability, opportunity, and shared prosperity”.

The Assembly continues tomorrow with several thematic discussions.