Riyadh: The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), one of the UN's specialized agencies, has praised the efforts of the Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program (Saudi Reef) for its role in supporting and promoting sustainable development by linking it to rural tourism, contributing to the celebration of Saudi rural communities' rich cultural heritage.
According to Saudi Press Agency, in a letter from Director of UNWTO's Regional Department for the Middle East Basmah Al-Mayman to Saudi Reef Secretary-General Ghassan Bakri, the program was praised for its efforts in supporting and enhancing rural tourism through organizing several rural tourism events across various regions of the Kingdom.
Al-Mayman noted that the 'Reef Bazaar' event, organized by the program, served as an exemplary model showcasing the cultural and artisanal richness of rural communities, thereby contributing to the promotion of sustainable rural tourism. The event highlighted the program's role in improving the quality of life in rural communities in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. Al-Mayman also praised the 'Our Winter is Rural' event organized by the program in five regions to support domestic tourism, highlight rural identity, and reflect the Kingdom's deep-rooted cultural heritage.
UNWTO expressed its readiness to collaborate and partner with Saudi Reef in joint efforts focused on sustainable community development and promoting rural tourism.