RIYADH: The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) is to provide the government with a comprehensive plan for the development of the Kingdom’s tourism sector over the next three years, said SCTA Chairman Prince Sultan bin Salman.
Prince Sultan was speaking to the media after participating in a United Nations World Tourism Organization meeting in the Kazakh capital of Astana. The prince said that the proposed SCTA plan would be a conclusive one to improve the Kingdom’s tourism sector, adding that the new plan would involve decentralizing the management of the Kingdom’s tourism sector, handing out major roles to regional and local communities.
He also said there is a widespread acceptance of tourism in the Kingdom, and that the tourism that the SCTA plans is compatible with the Kingdom’s religious and social values, while meeting its security and environmental demands. He also said he expects tourism to become one of the Kingdom’s biggest revenue generators, especially in terms of providing job opportunities.
Prince Sultan said that people are surprised at the lack of tourist attractions and facilities on the Kingdom’s coastal fronts, and that the government is working to resolve these issues professionally. He also stressed the importance of the Kingdom participating in the United Nations World Tourism Organization meetings, adding that the Kingdom is a key member of the organization and has worked on introducing Arabic as an official language of the organization and bringing several new concepts to the organization. He also said that the Kingdom is looking at the organization as a partner that would help it gain experience.
Prince Sultan said that the Kingdom is working on strengthening relations with other members of the organization, adding that the Kingdom’s primary focus is on developing its tourism sector. “The main focus is our domestic tourists. It is not acceptable to search for foreign tourists when Saudi tourists cannot find suitable and clean facilities,” he said.
