He made the announcement on Sunday as he opened the forum, titled “Najran ... Land of Unlimited Opportunities,” at the King Fahd park.

Mineral, tourist and agricultural investment opportunities in the region are being analyzed at the event, which has attracted a large number of industrialists, investors and government officials.

The prince voiced optimism about economic prosperity in the region with the launch of many new development schemes. He pointed out that a number of development projects had already been implemented in Najran under the current administration.

Forum Secretary-General Ihab Hassan Abu Rukba said more than 30 working papers and dialogue sessions focused on the need for creating a conducive environment for investments in Najran.

There were also workshops that trained prospective young entrepreneurs on preparing feasibility studies for new projects including small and medium enterprises, he said.

The role of women in economic growth and the development of basic infrastructure and a skilled workforce were among other key issues that received the attention of delegates.

Saleh Al-Sayed, chairman of the forum’s executive committee, described Najran as a promising land for investment as it possessed abundant raw materials to manufacture decoration stones, granite and ceramic in addition to other minerals such as gold, copper and zinc.

“The area has more than 60 tourist and historical sites which can be developed to attract more tourists,” he said.

Al-Sayed said the region, a prime area in the Kingdom for citrus cultivation, could also serve as a strategic commercial market between Saudi Arabia and Yemen. He proposed that an investment committee should be set up under the governor’s leadership to speed up development projects.

He also suggested that the Najran airport could be expanded into a regional hub, receiving around 15,000 flights per year. The airport, which currently handles around 4,000 flights, can accommodate only 325,000 passengers. It is projected to handle 1,379,000 passengers after the expansion.

The secretary-general also said the Najran university should be developed as the largest in the Kingdom.

He proposed that Najran be linked Jazan through an expressway, providing access to a seaport.

Commerce and Industry Ministry undersecretary Tawfiq bin Fozan Al-Rabeea said the investors in Najran could raise up to 75 percent of the project as loans on attractive terms.

He said investors were also being provided with tariff concessions and urged them to access the ministry’s services via Internet.

Al-Rabeea said land had been allotted for 20 new industrial projects in the Najran industrial city, which has an area of 6.55 million square meters.

Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources representative Sultan bin Jameel Al-Shawli said the ministry had carried out a comprehensive geological survey, which identified sites of gold, silver, granite and other minerals.

Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) Gov. Amr Al-Dabbagh said the authority is offering tax and other incentives to attract foreign investors to Najran. He said a service center had been set up to provide vital facilities for investment projects.

The forum ends Tuesday.