28 tourist sites to be developed

The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) has approved a comprehensive plan to develop 28 tourist destinations and sites across the Kingdom in addition to offering several of them to the private sector for tourism investment, an SCTA official said Thursday.
“Some of the prominent destinations are Al-Ogair, Souk Okaz, Al-Jarah and Al-Yazeed Parks, Al-Gahma, Geyal and Sharma in addition to a number of tourism projects such as the Al-Taif municipality development project for which a supreme committee was formed on a royal decree, besides the Al-Daryiah project, Al-Thumama and Riyadh center development projects, which are being carried out in collaboration with Al-Riyadh Development Authority (ADA),” the official said.
Furthermore, the SCTA has recently wound up the implementation of 160 projects for the restoration of a number of tourism sites in collaboration with several municipalities and governorates throughout the Kingdom.
These sites have been opened to the public following restoration and provided with necessary facilities and services, he added.
Some of these rehabilitated sites are Jabal Moneekh in Al-Majm’a, Eain Samha in Al-Kharj, Darb Aba Al-Gud and Al-Galta at Al-Ghat in Riyadh province, Falcon Event Center and Al-Eain Al-Hara in Hafr Al-Batin, Jazan Anchorage, Falcon Event Center in Turaif, Al-Gonfoza beach in Makkah province and Al-Rus Park in Al-Qassim.
These programs fall under the policy of SCTA and its mission in the development and provision of minimal services and facilities to tourist sites across different regions of the Kingdom.
The SCTA program further aims to direct the potentials of public administrations to boost local economies as well as create job opportunities for local communities especially the youth as tour guides, security guards and artisans, the official noted.