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11:26 GMT
Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology and Acting Minister of Information and Culture Omar Al-Omar
KUWAIT, Feb 11 (KUNA) -- Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology and Acting Minister of Information and Culture, Omar Al-Omar, said Wednesday that the conference on advancing tourism through Artificial Intelligence, represents a practical extension of dialogue on the future of the tourism sector and its development tools.
The conference is held on the sidelines of the 52nd meeting of the UN Tourism Regional Commission for the Middle East.
In his opening remarks, Al-Omar said the conference comes at a time of rapid transformations in tourism, requiring enhanced planning tools, updated operational models and more efficient policies in line with global changes and national aspirations.
He noted that artificial intelligence has emerged as a key enabler in reshaping tourism, not merely as a technical tool but as a strategic instrument to improve decision-making, enhance performance and strengthen forecasting and responsiveness across varying conditions.
He stressed that digital transformation in tourism requires adopting advanced technologies, investing in human capital and fostering regional and international cooperation to ensure efficient and responsible utilization of AI.
For her part, UN Tourism Secretary-General Sheikha Al-Nowais said AI would unify data, improve decision quality and direct investments toward high-impact areas, underscoring the responsibility accompanying its growing role.
She revealed that 80 percent of Middle East members have national AI strategies, while 90 percent plan to increase AI funding in tourism over the next five years.
UN Tourism Executive Director Natalia Bayona highlighted AI's impact on the sector and progress on the Riyadh Declaration outcomes.
The conference featured sessions on smart travel, private sector perspectives and AI-driven innovation, and witnessed the launch of a joint UN Tourism-Amadeus workshop to support public sector adoption of AI in line with sustainable and competitive tourism development goals. (end)
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