Tourism Minister Al-Khateeb Discusses 90 Million Jobs Gap at TOURISE 2025
Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb spoke at opening of the TOURISE summit 2025 in Riyadh on Tuesday. He discuss the global tourism industry growing need for workers and the opportunities it creates.
The global tourism sector currently employs more than 357 million people worldwide. The industry is expected to add around 90 million new jobs by 2034. However there is a gap of 40 million positions that need urgent solutions. This shortage was recently discussed at the UN General Assembly.
Al-Khateeb stressed that solving this job gap requires joint efforts between government and private sectors. Both groups must work together on practical initiatives and innovative solutions to create more employment opportunities.
The TOURISE summit brings together more than 50 tourism ministers from around the world. The conference serves as a global platform to discuss the future of technology and artificial intelligence in tourism.
Al-Khateeb said that artificial intelligence is coming to the tourism industry. However, he note that AI cannot replace human interaction in services that depend on direct personal communication. People still need real workers to provide quality service and personal attention.
The tourism industry offers significant opportunities for women and young people. According to Al-Khateeb, 40% of tourism jobs globally can be filled by women and 30% by youth. This makes tourism one of the best industries for creating sustainable opportunities for both groups.
Al-Khateeb called for protecting tourism jobs and ensuring that small countries, island nations and developing regions have real opportunities for growth. He specifically mentioned Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific region.
These areas need support to create dignified livelihoods for their people. Tourism can help these regions develop economically while creating quality employment.
