TAIF, 27 June — "Taif...Sweet and Pleasant" is the theme of this year’s Taif tourism festival which was opened here on Tuesday by Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed.
The inaugural ceremony at King Fahd Gardens in Khalediya featured fireworks, laser show, the traditional Aradha dance and folk arts.
Addressing the ceremony, Prince Sultan ibn Salman, secretary-general of the Supreme Commission for Tourism, highlighted the tourist attractions in Taif and said the city has become a major tourist destination.
"The Supreme Commission for Tourism seeks to promote domestic tourism by encouraging Saudis and expatriates to visit tourist centers within the Kingdom," he said.
He described Saudi Arabia, the land of the two holy mosques, as one of the most secure places for tourists. "The Kingdom aims to promote tourism without deviating from its Islamic culture and traditions," he added.
Tourism has now become a major international industry, which offers large-scale revenues to public and the private sectors, he pointed out.
"Tourism will help attract more investments and create jobs for Saudi youths," he said.
Earlier, Prince Abdul Majeed visited the green village in Khalediya and was briefed on its activities including dramas, snake shows, acrobatic displays and coloring contests. He also visited the global village which houses models of Al-Mismak Palace in Riyadh, Muhammadiya Market in Syria and Pyramids of Egypt and exhibits products from Arab, Asian and European countries.
The government has taken several steps to promote domestic tourism and win back part of the $25 billion Saudis spent abroad on tourism.
New rules allow travel agents to bring in visitors and pilgrims throughout the year unlike previous years when Umrah visas were issued during a specific period of the year. Under the system, pilgrims can visit places outside Makkah and Madinah though under certain controls.
The Kingdom expects internal tourism to generate around SR25 billion ($6.66 billion) annually in the coming years. According to a study, 47 percent of Saudis spend their holidays in non-Arab countries, 29 percent in Arab countries and 24 percent inside the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia already has a well-developed tourism infrastructure. The country has 7,068 tourist facilities including major hotels. It has built 3,354 public parks covering a total area of 44.6 million square meters. There are 22 regional and four international airports in the country. The road network stretches over 36,581 km.
