Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

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.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
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!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
×