Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Lisbon, Riyadh to Promote Integrated Tourism Sector Partnership

Lisbon, Riyadh to Promote Integrated Tourism Sector Partnership

Rita Marques, secretary of state for Tourism of Portugal, revealed that her country is eyeing the conclusion of an agreement with Saudi Arabia in the field of international air transport soon.
Marques pointed out that her participation at the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit, which was recently held in Riyadh, had presented a vital occasion to share ideas that promote common points, such as sustainable tourism.

She affirmed Portugal’s readiness to share its best practices and help in designing training exchange programs with Saudi Arabia. This comes to establish prolific dialogue and cooperation between the two countries.

It is fruitful to be able to conclude an international air transport agreement between Portugal and the Kingdom, and to cooperate on future trends and policies such as sustainability, digitization, or forms of attracting investment for innovation and research, stressed Marques.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Marques pointed to the role played by the tourism sector in enhancing ties between countries.

She highlighted Saudi Arabia and Portugal’s ability to develop cooperation, share good practices, exchange knowledge, and build skills development programs. The two countries can do so alongside their plans and programs related to sustainability and innovation, added Marques.

Regarding trade between Portugal and the Kingdom, Marques noted that her country has a trade deficit with Saudi Arabia, but she added that total exports in 2022 will achieve their best results since 2017.

About services, Marques said that they also suffered from a trade deficit. However, she hoped that in 2022 the figures will bounce back to what they were before the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Marques, total Portuguese exports of goods and services to the Kingdom in 2021 amounted to 142 million euros. Meanwhile, imports amounted to 326 million euros.

As for pressures and crises facing tourism, Marques insisted on the need for highlighting the innovative capacity of companies and destination managers and creating new business approaches, service concepts and experiences that completely revolutionize the industry.

In recent years, the entry of new market players, international investors and the attraction of international brands have revolutionized the dynamics and attractiveness of Portugal’s regions, noted Marques.

It is noteworthy that the most influential travel and tourism event in the calendar, WTTC’s record breaking Global Summit in Riyadh was attended by more than 85 countries and over 50 ministers.

During the event, WTTC and the Saudi Ministry of Tourism launched the Environmental & Social Research (ESR).

This groundbreaking new data details the climate footprint of the global travel and tourism sector. The research covers 185 countries across all regions and will be updated each year with the latest figures.

WTTC also launched its Cities Economic Impact Report (EIR).

Addressing delegates during her closing speech, WTTC President and CEO Julia Simpson said: “Saudi Arabia will be the next major destination for visitors as it invests $800 billion in showcasing the Kingdom to the world.”

“From the Red Sea to snow-capped mountains, Saudi is full of surprises,” added Simpson.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×