‘Poor tourism infrastructure obstacle to tourism in KSA for now’

[al-Hasani]

Kingdom gearing up for the tourist season!

Tourist destinations are ready to attract visitors during mid-year vacation.

RIYADH: RASHID HASSAN

Published — Sunday 12 January 2014

Last update 12 January 2014 2:36 am

Tourism has become one of the fastest growing sectors in the Kingdom and the stakeholders in the sector are making the necessary efforts to have a fruitful season.
As the time draws near toward the beginning of yet another tourism season, the Saudi Tourism and Antiquities Commission (SCTA) has planned several tourism events and activities for the mid-year vacation.
These festivals will be organized by the tourism development councils with the partnership of the authorities. With a view to enhancing the tourism sector in the Kingdom through these festivals, the SCTA and its partners are geared up with their preparations for the cultural, social, heritage, sports and entertainment activities.
An SCTA official at the commission’s headquarters here informed that around 30 tourism festivals and activities will be held in various regions of the Kingdom during the coming mid-year holiday.
The official said, “It is well known that Saudi Arabia is rich in the large number of diverse tourist destinations like heritage sites, archaeological, natural, cultural, entertainment and economic destinations as well as in the diversity of its terrain and its geography. These destinations, especially those with mild weather, attract a large number of visitors during the mid-term school holidays.” According to the commission the most important destination that enjoys a heavy turnout of tourists during the breaks is Riyadh, the national capital, which is considered to be one of the most important tourism destinations in the Kingdom in light of its diverse potentials in tourism, culture and heritage and shopping.
The city is experiencing a surge in development with a large number of parks, gardens, commercial complexes besides many other cultural attractions. It will host four festivals and events during the upcoming holidays namely the International Food Festival, Second Family Festival for Palms and Dates, Riyadh Secretariat Tournament for Skilled Driving and the Riyadh Comedy Festival.
The Eastern Province enjoys wonderful weather during the mid-term break, especially Alkhobar and Dammam cities which attract domestic and foreign visitors. The region will host five festivals, including the King Abdul Aziz Award Festival for Camel Decoration, Sci-Tech Knowledge Program, AlKhobar Tourism Festival, Al Nuairiyah Spring Festival and the Green Falcons Team Show.
Makkah and Madinah regions are also popular destinations during the vacation. Besides their religious importance, Madinah is also an important cultural destination in the Kingdom with Al Ula city occupying a significant position among the cultural tourism destinations attracting a large number of tourists from different countries.
It is home to an important site — Madain Saleh, a pre-Islamic archaeological site which UNESCO in 2008 proclaimed a site of patrimony, making it Saudi Arabia’s first World Heritage site.
The official further informed that the region will also feature the “Rodwan Al Bari” Festival in the coastal city of Yanbu in the upcoming mid-term holidays.
Jeddah and Taif in Makkah province include a large number of tourism, historic, heritage and coastal sites, besides attractive shopping malls and will also feature the “Haya Jeddah” festival, which has just kicked off in Jeddah on Friday.
Hail province is also a distinguished domestic tourism destination for people who wish to enjoy coastal tourism which is enhanced by stunning desert views and heritage.
Najran province, which unfailingly conducts the “Najran Spring Festival” during this period, enjoys exceptionally mild weather in addition to its beautiful natural and heritage potentials greatly contributing to the rise of tourism demand in the region.
Jazan province is famous for the “Jazan Winter Festival” which attracts thousands of visitors during the mid-term break because of its warm weather and its wonderful shores in Fursan.
Al Ahsa municipality is also famous for natural water springs, green areas, desert and environmental tourism in addition to cultural and heritage tourism, whereas Al Qassim province has wonderful heritage and historic sites with the availability of handicrafts and rural tourism, natural and cultural tourism besides festivals, two of which — the Buraidah Festival and Al Ghada Festival in Unaizah, are held during the mid-term breaks.
Tabuk is also distinguished for its diversity of tourism potentials and beautiful geographical terrain.
It will be holding the Fourth Khail and Hail Festival and the Second Child Festival during the break.

Kingdom gearing up for the tourist season! | Arab News — Saudi Arabia News, Middle East News, Opinion, Economy and more.

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That is all fine and we all like empty slogans from time to time but all this is mainly domestic tourism. When a country like KSA could have millions upon millions of tourists (not being the 16th most visited country but in the top 10) if just a REAL tourism sector developed, the enormously restricted visa rules etc. changed.

The fact that there will be about 20 million pilgrims yearly in the near future and that this number will only rapidly increase by each year there is an immense potential for creating jobs and a profitable and long-standing tourism sector. But as of no this opportunity is simply not being taken.

Let us see if the decision to introduce tourism visas will really turn into a reality.

Look at small Dubai which was a simple fishing village 100 years ago - 1 out of 1000's of similar small fishing villages in the Arab world from Morocco in the West to Oman in the East. Its few thousand citizens were all traders or pearl hunters. Today Dubai is the 7th most visited city in the world last year! UAE which should be part of KSA anyway.

The potential in KSA is much, much bigger.

Welcome to Forbes

Quite frankly I don't know how Riyadh can be the 19th most visited city in the world according to that Forbes list from last year.

Some of the dinosaurs simply most get removed from any power. Be it governmental or local. The sooner the better. I am talking about the harmful dinosaurs.

 

[al-Hasani]

Tourism investment gets a fillip

Tourism investment companies would soon be formed in different regions to strengthen the Kingdom’s tourism section.

JEDDAH: ARAB NEWS

Published — Tuesday 14 January 2014

Last update 14 January 2014 2:40 am

The Cabinet on Monday adopted a series of decisions to strengthen the tourism sector, including the formation of tourism investment companies in different regions with the participation of public and private sectors.
The Cabinet took the decisions after reviewing proposals made by a special committee to support the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities and the committee that was set up to examine the project for preserving Saudi cultural heritage.
The Cabinet, chaired by Crown Prince Salman, emphasized the need to have a partnership between the public and private sectors to boost investment in the tourism sector. “The SCTA shall provide investment opportunities suitable for the private sector,” it added.
The Cabinet urged government agencies to provide infrastructure to ensure the success of tourism projects, adding that priority should be given for such projects in future fiscal budgets.
The Cabinet also endorsed the project for preserving cultural heritage, considering it as an important national and historical project. It instructed authorities to speed up completion of projects related to the Kingdom’s history and national unity.

Tourism investment gets a fillip | Arab News — Saudi Arabia News, Middle East News, Opinion, Economy and more.

Good.

 

[Kompromat]

@al-Hasani

Gone.

 

[al-Hasani]

@al-Hasani

Gone.

Unfortunately I have to admit that I kind of like the guy but he has a awful habit of trolling and crossing the limit so the answer is unfortunately only a ban at the end of the day. It is a shame because I believe he could be a normal user contributing to this section but he chose another option. That of making dozens of double users and getting banned due to trolling and coming back again and again. Expect him to be back in the near future.

Historic Jeddah ready to be included in World Heritage List

OLD IS GOLD: Jeddah set to win international acclaim.

RIYADH: RASHID HASSAN

Published — Tuesday 14 January 2014

Last update 14 January 2014 2:51 am

The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) in coordination with Jeddah municipality and other government agencies has completed the nomination file for registration of Jeddah historic area in the UNESCO’s World Heritage site list, the SCTA’s media center said on Monday.
Stating that the file has since been submitted to the UNESCO, an SCTA official said: “According to the established procedure for seeking inclusion in the World Heritage site list, after formal acceptance, the file should be referred to the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) to ensure the site’s eligibility for joining the heritage list before the final stage of registration.”
The final stage includes voting on the site at the meeting of the UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee,” the officials said, adding the various stages progress as per a specific time-frame, and in concurrence with the work of a number of committees and sectors specialized in studying, evaluating and analyzing the nomination.
Accordingly, the Jeddah historic area file is expected to be submitted for voting by the World Heritage Committee during its 38th session to be held in Qatar in June, 2014, he said.
The commission is also putting in all effort in Jeddah historic area in accordance with the project for development and rehabilitation of historic centers which is carried out by the SCTA in collaboration with the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, the official underlined.
He said the project aims to develop and preserve important historic sites and transform them into tourism and business locations to score points for inclusion in the list.
From Thursday, Jeddah city will be hosting the 10-day “Jeddah Historic Area Festival” under the patronage of Prince Mesh’al bin Abdullah, Governor of Makkah. It will also be attended by the SCTA president Prince Sultan bin Salman, the official informed.
Through development of the historic area, the SCTA aims to preserve, rehabilitate and develop it architecturally, culturally and economically in a sustainable manner and highlight its heritage, urban and cultural features and encourage area owners to preserve and protect their properties.
Working on the rehabilitation of the area with local authorities, the SCTA has carried out several responsibilities including preparation of the basic document for the King Abdul Aziz project for preservation and development of the historic area.
A number of committees were formed for the project, the most important of which is the ‘Supreme Committee’ under the chairmanship of the Governor.
According to the official, there are a number of projects, valued at over SR 50 million, in progress in the historic area. These include consultation services for restoration of heritage buildings in Al Balad area, supplying and installing lighting columns, establishing parking lots and pavements for cars, cleaning and maintenance of the historic area, maintenance and restoration of buildings and museums inside the area.
Earlier, the SCTA in collaboration with Jeddah municipality, had conducted a number of workshops and participated jointly in evaluation of schematic studies for the development of the area.
It was also involved in preparing the plan for executive projects, besides signing a contract with an international consulting firm to set up preservation plan and management of the historic area in preparation of finalyzing its registration in UNESCO’s heritage list.
Besides, several heritage buildings were chosen and one of them was selected for restoration and conversion into a heritage hotel by the Saudi Heritage Hospitality Company.
Moreover, the SCTA in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry for Islamic Affairs, Endowment, Dawa and Guidance, undertakes several issues related to endowment as it is keen to develop and preserve the historic area in a sustainable manner since it is considered to be only remaining city representing the architectural style of the Red Sea basin.

Historic Jeddah ready to be included in World Heritage List | Arab News — Saudi Arabia News, Middle East News, Opinion, Economy and more.

 

[al-Hasani]

Jeddah Heritage Festival kicks off at Balad tonight

The Naseef House in Jeddah’s historic Balad district. — SG photo



Saleh Fareed
Saudi Gazette


JEDDAH — A 10-day cultural extravaganza that incorporates Jeddah’s historical sites and cultural hubs of yesteryears starts on Thursday night. The first of its kind Jeddah Heritage Festival will feature plenty of cultural and entertaining programs based on Hijazi heritage in the old Balad area.

This festival is organized by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) and the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry under the support of Makkah Emir Prince Mishal Bin Abdullah.

Prince Sultan Bin Salman, head of the SCTA, described the festival as a turning point for cultural heritage in the Kingdom.

He said the event was an extension of the great attention shown to national heritage since it is considered a key component of the Saudi national identity and also the great support for national tourism as a key economic sector.

The government is focusing on the development of these important sectors, he said.

Prince Sultan praised the support of Prince Mishal, Jeddah Governor Prince Mishal Bin Majed and Jeddah Mayor Hani Aburas for the event.

Zaki Hassanien, CEO of Benchmark and organizer of the event, said the festival would be inaugurated at 9 p.m. in Balad.

The ceremony include fireworks, a laser show and Hijazi performances by artists from Jeddah.

Hassanien said the main aim of the festival was to help visitors discover the history of Jeddah culture.

He said: “We are planning to create awareness and educate people, including the younger generations, on the Hijazi’s rich heritage.

“The festival consists of a series of performances and arranged activities, including 46 traditional, cultural and educational activities.

“Comedy plays, standup comedy and folk dance shows will also be organized across various sites in Balad to entertain visitors and guests as we showcase the old life in Hijaz from many years ago.”

According to the SCTA, the Jeddah historical area has enjoyed great attention by the founder King Abdulaziz, who in 1925 used Bait Naseef as his dwelling for 10 years.

He used a location near Al-Hanafi Mosque nearby as a prayer place. The attention toward the historic area did not stop but continued during the reigns of King Saud and King Faisal, who established different types of service networks and public departments and facilities.

The first antiquities regulation was implemented in 1972, providing special protection to the historical area.

During the reigns of King Khalid and King Fahd, the state executed a number of projects, including a SR80 million initiative to pave and illuminate the historical area in a manner that befitted its historic value and preserved its old buildings and urban heritage.

The state’s attention toward the historic area continued during the reign of the current Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.

He created the Supreme Committee for the Development of the Jeddah Historic Area under the chairmanship of Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, former emir of Makkah, and the vice chairmanship of Prince Sultan Bin Salman.

They formed an executive committee under the chairmanship of Prince Mishal Bin Majed and Aburas.

The committees’ aim is to preserve and develop the historical area and transform it into an attractive urban district while preserving its cultural and heritage.

Saudi Gazette - Jeddah Heritage Festival kicks off at Balad tonight

 

[Arabian Legend]

Saudi Arabia's Taif to celebrate win as Arab Tourism Capital

Saudi Gazette, Jeddah

Thursday, 16 January 2014
Preparations are underway to mark the announcement of Taif as the Arab Tourism Capital.

Prince Mishal Bin Abdullah, Emir of Makkah region, instructed various government and private agencies to work as one team to make the activities and programs planned for the occasion a resounding success.

The Emir gave the directives while chairing a meeting of the senior officials, including Taif Governor Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz Bin Muammar, Arab Tourism Organization (ATO) Chairman Bandar Bin Fahd Al-Fuhaid and Taif Mayor Muhammad Al-Mukhrej, at his office here on Wednesday. ATO has chosen Taif as the Arab Tourism Capital.

During the meeting, Prince Mishal was briefed on a video presentation on the major components that helped Taif qualify for the Arab Tourism Capital award, and these included climate, tourist and archeological landmarks, infrastructure facilities and public utilities, hotels, and cultural activities, mainly Souk Okaz.

It was announced that a wide variety of 90 activities and programs will be organized as part of the celebration. These included Arab Tent, Gulf Nights, festivals, exhibitions, cultural programs, sports and games, as well as workshops and training courses for youths.

Prince Mishal underscored the significance of highlighting the glory of Taif as one of the leading tourist destinations in the Arab world.He said implementation of several multibillion riyal development projects would add qualitative impetus to the status of this famous summer resort.

Speaking on the occasion, Taif Governor Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz said selection of Taif as the Tourism Capital and “Bride of the Arab summer resorts” was the outcome of the constant support extended by the former Makkah Emir Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, as well as the concerted efforts made by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, Taif Mayoralty and Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He said that more than SR16 billion was spent on development projects in Taif last year alone.

The city is also hosting about 10 tourist festivals every year, and these included Souk Okaz Festival, Taif Rose Festival, Honey Festival, and Fruits Festival.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/lif...to-celebrate-win-as-Arab-Tourism-Capital.html

 

[al-Hasani]

@Arabian Legend

Great news. Ta'if deserves it. A beautiful mountainous town located 2000 meters above sea level. It already is a major place for domestic tourism and it has great, great potential once KSA builds a real and lasting tourism sector. Close to Makkah and Jeddah too.

 

[Arabian Legend]

@Arabian Legend

Great news. Ta'if deserves it. A beautiful mountainous town located 2000 meters above sea level. It already is a major place for domestic tourism and it has great, great potential once KSA builds a real and lasting tourism sector. Close to Makkah and Jeddah too.

Here is a website might interest you.

SCTA
-
Home Page

 

[al-Hasani]

Here is a website might interest you.

SCTA
-
Home Page

Thanks for the link 7abibi. I am familiar with the SCTA though. They have made some very positive work in recent years and their internet page has improved drastically from what it was before.

 

[Arabian Legend]

Thanks for the link 7abibi. I am familiar with the SCTA though. They have made some very positive work in recent years and their internet page has improved drastically from what it was before.

Yes, Since Prince Sultan Bin Salman took control over tourism sector I have noticed a lot of positive changes. He deserve credit for his good work.

 

[al-Hasani]

Yes, Since Prince Sultan Bin Salman took control over tourism sector I have noticed a lot of positive changes. He deserve credit for his good work.

I like him a lot. He handles himself very well. Especially the Roads of Arabia archaeological exhibition that toured Europe, USA etc. was a huge success and he was behind this.

 

[Arabian Legend]

I like him a lot. He handles himself very well. Especially the Roads of Arabia archaeological exhibition that toured Europe, USA etc. was a huge success and he was behind this.

In space

 

[al-Hasani]

@Arabian Legend

LOL.

He was the first astronaut of royal blood and the first Arab and Muslim to fly in outer space.

We need more people like him!

 

[Arabian Legend]

@Arabian Legend

LOL. He was the first astronaut of royal blood and the first Arab and Muslim to fly in outer space.

We need more people like him!

Yes, a goal oriented person. Hat off to him.

 

[FaujHistorian]

I have travelled through Saudi Arabia

I tend to disagree that it doesn't have "infrastructure".

Centuries of experience with Hajj and Umra tourists have created huge industry for housing and travel.

However that same thing kind of limits the tourism to "religious" tourists mainly.


The limitation then impacts views and attitudes towards non-Muslim cultures

Outside the tri-city (Jeddah, Makkah and Madina), other cities and locations like Hada Taif Najran etc have built up a lot of rentable living space and plenty of good roads,

The same is true with central and eastern parts.

Like anything else

it will take time perhaps 10-15 year for ordinary Saudis to switch gears and look at non-Muslims as tourists in addition to just being workers.

I am watching the transformation of KSA with an acute fascination

So far my bets are with KSA developing as a healthy and prosperous nation that is open and inclusive of diversity. Perhaps at some stage some of the cities may allow building of churches and synagogs etc.

This will in tun allow the best minds of the world to come visit as a tourist and stay for its inclusive culture.

and help propel KSA into the fields of science and tech and medicine.

I mean we see prince Sultan was the astronaut

But so far we do not see KSA known for its research contribution in the field of astronomy and physics. And all this can happen much faster when the society is more open and inclusive .


peace