UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nuwais has welcomed United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to the organisation's headquarters in Madrid, highlighting tourism's growing role in the global multilateral agenda.

During the visit, Al Nuwais praised Guterres for his commitment to peace, diplomacy and international cooperation, describing him as “a champion of multilateralism” and recognising his efforts to strengthen unity across the United Nations system.

Addressing UN Tourism staff, Guterres reaffirmed the sector's importance in advancing the wider UN agenda, particularly in promoting sustainability, international cooperation and economic opportunities for developing economies.

He also acknowledged UN Tourism's growing international presence, noting that his visit marked the first time a serving UN Secretary-General had visited the organisation's headquarters since 2007.

Guterres emphasised the importance of closer cooperation between UN Tourism and UN country teams to bring the organisation's expertise and support closer to communities on the ground.

The UN Secretary-General was accompanied by his wife, Catarina Vaz Pinto, and joined by Spain's Secretary of State for Tourism, Rosario Sánchez Grau, and Turespaña Director-General Miguel Sanz.

The visit underscored tourism's increasing recognition as a contributor to sustainable development and international cooperation. -TradeArabia News Service