Riyadh, November 7-11, 2025 – The 26th session of the United Nations World Tourism Organization was held in Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The event was attended by the Kazakh delegation, led by Madiar Menilbekov, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

This session coincided with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the largest international organization dedicated to discussing the future of the global tourism industry. Delegations from 160 countries participated, and the agenda focused on ways to implement artificial intelligence and digital transformation to deepen international cooperation in tourism and ensure sustainable development.

Key outcomes of the Assembly included the opening of the organization’s regional office in Shanghai, the adoption of the Riyadh Declaration on the Future of Tourism, and, for the first time in the organization’s history, the election of a woman as Secretary-General.

Additionally, a decision was made regarding the celebration of World Tourism Day: in 2026 it will be held in El Salvador under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to redesign tourism”, and in 2027 in Cabo Verde under the theme “Transforming tourism through education”.

Kazakhstan’s participation in the session contributed to strengthening international ties and promoting the country’s image as an open and promising tourist destination.

It is worth noting that the 18th session of the UN World Tourism Organization was held in 2009 in Astana.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-riyadh/press/news/details/1102998?lang=kk