As the First Country in the Middle East.. with the Aim of Working to Improve the Statistics of Tourism 
The General Authority for Statistics (GaStat): The Kingdom is enhancing its statistical position at an international level with the membership of the international expert group

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia enhanced its statistical position at an international level after the joining of GaStat and the Saudi Commission for Tourism & National Heritage to the membership of the international expert group that is concerned with the Tourism Satellite Account of 2017, to be the first country in the Middle East that has been nominated to accomplish the Tourism Satellite Account according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) standards. UNWTO has also nominated the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to execute the capacity building program. This initiative ensures an effective execution for information systems and tourism in all countries in the Middle East. Therefore, the Kingdom will represent these countries in managing the project, it is also considered as a mediator to transfer the knowledge and the experience of the organization to the Middle East countries. Moreover, the international experts group will work on preparing a guide to standardize and enhance the statistics of tourism and strengthen the support for the statistics within the United Nation system. 
Additionally, the statistics committee and the Tourism Satellite Account will handle the coordination with international authorities and institutions to lead the statistics, set its standards within the United Nation system and support the member countries to enhance their national regulations for the tourism statistics and Tourism Satellite Account. 
The president of GaStat Dr.Fahad Bin Sulaiman ALTekhaifi assured that the authority will work in partnership with the Saudi Commission for Tourism & National Heritage to maximize the benefit from this membership at all levels. He added that choosing two entities from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for membership of the international experts group, which is considered with the Tourism Satellite Account 2017, is an extension of the Kingdom's role in improving all the statistical fields and it shows what the statistical sector finds from the wise leadership (May God support them) for its unlimited support. In addition, it is also a result of  joint efforts and integration between GaStat and the Saudi Commission for Tourism & National Heritage in the field of tourism statistics.
It is noteworthy to mention that the two authorities (Statistics and Tourism) have signed a memorandum of understanding in the field of information, statistics and the regulations of the governmental decision support. The signing was under the sponsorship of HRH the governor of Riyadh city, prince Faisal Bin Bandar Bin Abdulaziz AL-Saud, last March of this year within the events of the tourism investment and travel forum in Riyadh city.