ALL SMILES: Prince Sultan bin Salman distributes prizes to winners of the Ejazti Saudia contest. (SPA)

JEDDAH: The newly reshuffled board of directors of the Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities (SCTA) held its first meeting in Riyadh yesterday and adopted a series of important decisions to strengthen the Kingdom’s tourism industry.

“The meeting reviewed executive plans for 13 projects related to historical city centers and popular markets and decided to hand them over to municipalities in order to make them attractive tourist sites,” an official statement said.

The board meeting, which was chaired by Prince Sultan bin Salman, also approved a joint program aimed at marketing Saudi Arabia as a major tourist destination at local and international levels. The program aims at developing local tourism products to make them more attractive and competitive.

Development of the Kingdom’s conference/exhibition market was another major topic that figured high at the meeting. “The market already accounts for 17 percent of total tourism spending in the Kingdom,” the SCTA said.

The commission in association with other government departments, including the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority, has prepared a comprehensive plan to develop the conference/exhibition market by providing quality services with state-of-the-art facilities.

“The meeting reviewed a study on converting state-owned heritage buildings into hospitality centers and prospects of setting up a company to run them,” the statement said. The board also discussed the commission’s efforts to preserve the Kingdom’s antiquities.

Also yesterday, Prince Sultan distributed prizes to families who won prizes of the Ejazti Saudia contest. The family of Jelawi bin Khaled Al-Otaibi won the first prize, which included a cash prize of SR15,000 and a commemorative shield. Saudi families from three major cities took part in the interactive program.

Speaking to reporters after the event, Prince Sultan highlighted the importance of tour operators, saying they would play a significant role in boosting the Kingdom’s tourism industry. He also disclosed plans to set up another department for tourist guides in the commission.

The SCTA chief announced his organization’s plan to hold a major exhibition of antiquities that have been retrieved from other countries. He said there are international teams engaged in excavations in various parts of the country. “We are now witnessing tremendous development in the sector of antiquities and museums.”