He said his company is bringing foreign tourists into the Kingdom in coordination with the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) for the first time.

“This is the largest tourist group to visit the Kingdom so far,” said Chaaya, adding that the group will arrive in Jeddah on March 23 and that Al-Jazirah Company will transport them to various destinations in the Kingdom.

The group will arrive by Crystal Serenity, an international tourist cruiser, and will visit the historical region of Jeddah, Abdul Rauf Khalil Museum, the Corniche, the camel market in south Jeddah and the fish market. Chaaya said more than 20 tourist guides will accompany the group to explain the various landmarks and their historical importance.

The group will include people speaking different languages, including French, German, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese.

Maarouf Hussein, program convener at Alireza Travel & Tours, said the group will include people from the US, Canada, Mexico, Peru, the UK, Spain, Greece, Holland, China, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines.

He said Alireza is one of the Kingdom’s pioneering tourist companies and obtains tourist visas through its SCTA license. The company was established about 60 years ago.

“The group’s program will not be limited to visiting tourist attractions in the city. They will also tour major shopping centers, historical souks and food festivals in top-class hotels,” Hussein said.

During the last five years, Alireza has brought many tourists to the Kingdom, said Hussein, adding he hopes the number of tourists will go up in coming years.

According to an SCTA source, Saudi Arabia has received 192 tourist delegations in the past years from different parts of the world. They have visited major Saudi tourist centers, especially Madain Saleh, the historic region of Jeddah and Abha.