JEDDAH: The Ministry of Tourism in Saudi Arabia will give each delegate at the 116th Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organization in Jeddah personalized non-fungible tokens.

Digital Transformation General Manager at the Ministry of Tourism Aljohara Al-Saleem told Arab News that inside the giveaways, each delegate would receive a gift box containing a physical ledger that they can use as a wallet and a key to access their NFTs.

“Each one is personalized. There is a hidden gem of the regions, and the cities of the Kingdom placed in each of these NFTs,” she said.

She told Arab News that the purpose of the gift was to give the delegates an idea of how the Kingdom is advancing in digital tourism.

Al-Saleem said that the tourism ministry is interested in integrating the physical world with the metaverse world and connecting them to showcase how tourism has advanced and how it will look in the future.

She added that the tourism infrastructure in the country is ready to incorporate digital advancements, transformation, and innovation into its development.

“The tourism sector in the Kingdom is designed for this future,” she said.

Al-Saleem said the ministry is tech-savvy, and it has leadership that supports innovation and digital transformation. “So why not do this?” she added.

According to Al-Saleem, the Kingdom is investing in smart cities and digital transformation.

She said that the ministry also receives support and leadership from Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb and King Salman.

“So today, we have everything to create this innovation in the tourism sector,” she added.

She noted that the ministry’s digital tourism strategy is aligned with the Vision 2030 goals and aspirations and the national tourism strategy.

By introducing new business models and supporting entrepreneurs, the ministry’s programs were designed to support and empower the workforce and promote a culture of innovation that would contribute to the digital economy, she added.

“So, everything was designed with an aspiration to achieve the goals of Vision 2030 in the tourism sector and to put the Kingdom on the global map for the tourism sector,” she concluded.