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JEDDAH: �������� joined countries worldwide in celebrating World Tourism Day, observed annually on Sept. 27.

The day aims to raise global awareness about the tourism sector’s significant economic, social, cultural, and political value, and its role in supporting sustainable development through various events and initiatives.

Tourism acts as a powerful soft power, capable of reshaping economies and societies by expanding job opportunities, developing infrastructure, and fostering cross-cultural understanding.

The Kingdom has prioritized this sector within the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, investing heavily to promote comprehensive development, enhance the culture of travel, and open up broad horizons for global visitors.

Recently, a UN tourism official said that rich natural and cultural assets mean �������� had strong potential to become a leading destination for wellness tourism in the Middle East.

Tourism provides communities across the planet with their livelihoods. The worldwide tourism industry was worth $10.9 trillion in 2024, or 10 percent of the global economy, and is projected to contribute $11.7 trillion in 2025, supporting 357 million jobs in 2024 and an estimated 371 million in 2025.

NEW YORK: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center and the UN Office for Project Services signed a joint executive program to support children’s hospitals in northern Syria with specialized medical equipment.

The signing took place on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York City.

KSrelief Supervisor General Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah signed the agreement with UNOPS Executive Director Jorge Moreira da Silva.

The project, which is set to benefit 844,778 individuals, aims to enhance the capacity of high-quality emergency and essential healthcare facilities for children in affected areas.

This will be achieved by supplying specialized medical equipment to the pediatric intensive care units of three hospitals in Hama and the pediatric cardiac surgery department in Aleppo.