RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has decided to develop its tourism industry as a strategic choice and a national economic project, Prince Sultan bin Salman, chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), announced on Monday.
Addressing the general assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organization in the Kazakh capital Astana, Prince Sultan highlighted the SCTA’s efforts to improve the Kingdom’s tourism investment environment and to market tourism.
“Saudi Arabia has been familiar with tourism for centuries and has been receiving millions of visitors from all over the world,” the SCTA chief said. “Being the birthplace of Islam and the home of the Two Holy Mosques, the Kingdom receives millions of Muslim pilgrims every year,” he said.
Prince Sultan said his organization had carried out more than 140 projects and programs in the areas of planning, building and institutional development in the past. He also mentioned the International Conference on Architectural Heritage in Islamic countries, which will be organized by the SCTA under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on April 18-23, 2010.
“The organization of this conference reflects the Kingdom’s keenness to preserve its cultural heritage,” said Prince Sultan. He also highlighted the economic advantages of tourism which is a major revenue earner all over the world.
Prince Sultan explained that the conference was aimed at highlighting the cultural, economic and social importance of the architectural heritage and evaluating the current status of the architectural heritage in Islamic countries as well as forging strategic cooperation among countries to preserve and develop their heritage.
He added that the conference would discuss environmental changes and their impact on architectural heritage in addition to technologies used for the restoration and maintenance of historical buildings.
The Astana meeting was attended by tourism ministers and representatives from more than 154 countries as well as by senior officials from the World Tourism Organization. “The conference of the general assembly of WTO came this year at a time when world economies are suffering financial crises,” the prince said. “The world is looking at the tourism sector hoping it will support international efforts to contain the global financial crisis.”
Prince Sultan highlighted the contribution of the tourism sector to the GDP of many countries, adding that this vital sector creates many job opportunities, encourages investment and increases exports, in addition to its role of promoting cultural exchanges and building bridges of cooperation between nations.
