RIYADH, 12 April 2004 — The Supreme Commission for Tourism (SCT) yesterday signed memoranda of understanding with the ministries of Haj and Education and the Youth Welfare Presidency as part of its efforts to promote domestic tourism.
The agreements were inked on the sidelines of a meeting of SCT’s board of directors in Riyadh, which was chaired by Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation.
The board also approved a media strategy to promote tourism. The meeting, which was attended by the ministers of interior, information, education, finance, commerce and industry, economy and planning, and agriculture, also endorsed SCT’s administrative regulations and reshuffled the board’s preparatory council.
Prince Sultan ibn Salman, SCT’s secretary-general, reported on the programs carried out by the commission’s planning, investment and marketing wings.
The report also covered new tourism products and ways to attract investment to the sector.
“The memoranda of understanding signed by the commission with the two ministries and the Youth Welfare Presidency aim to strengthen their partnership within the National Tourism Development Strategy, improve the quality of tourism-related services and radically restructure the industry,” Prince Sultan ibn Salman said.
The meeting also reviewed a proposal to promote Saudi heritage, arts and crafts for tourism purposes.
The board meeting did not discuss SCT plans for Saudization in the travel sector. But Mohammed Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, general director of the SCT’s National Project for Tourism Human Resources Development, said an SCT task force meeting will be held here today to take stock of the progress of Saudization and discuss what punitive measures should be taken against non-compliant travel agencies.
Many agencies had not submitted details of their staff by last week’s deadline.
The board meeting, the commission’s 10th, also discussed the prospects of e-tourism.
