RIYADH: Soudah Development, a closed joint-stock real estate development company owned by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, became an affiliate member of the World Tourism Organization – the United Nations agency responsible for promoting tourism as a key driver of economic growth and environmental sustainability, it said in a statement. As an affiliate member of the UNWTO, Soudah Development will be able to work with more than 500 global companies, educational and research institutions, destinations, and NGOs. It will provide a platform to establish dialogue, share information and take further action to promote tourism and contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It becomes only the 25th company in the Middle East to join an alliance of more than 500 global members and joins some of Saudi Arabia’s leading tourism destination developers including NEOM, Qiddiya, the Red Sea Development Company, and the Royal Commission for Alula. Soudah Development is developing a luxury mountain destination in a unique and authentic setting among the clouds at 3015 meters above sea level. Its sensitive sustainable quality development strategy is fully aligned with its goals of protecting natural environments and wildlife, empowering local communities and showcasing the extraordinary centuries old culture and heritage in Soudah and parts of Rijal Almaa. Husameddin Almadani, CEO of Soudah Development, said: “Building powerful and effective partnerships with like-minded organizations is an important part of our ongoing efforts to create a luxury mountain tourism destination high above the clouds.” “We are delighted and enormously proud to have already achieved this exciting and prestigious affiliate membership of the UNWTO. It is the latest in a series of strategic ties we have established with local, regional and global stakeholders to further our goals. It demonstrates our commitment to operate according to the highest global standards and working with the best in the business in Saudi Arabia and internationally and position Soudah and Rijal Almaa as a year-round destination that will attract more than two million visitors throughout the year by 2030.”