RIYADH, 7 February 2004 — Thirty-six recreation and theme parks in the Kingdom netted an estimated SR50 million in profits during the Eid festivities that concluded yesterday.
Quoting industry experts, Al-Hayat newspaper said yesterday the strong showing was the result of a decline in the number of Saudis traveling abroad. Sales of fireworks during Eid holidays have been estimated at SR10 million.
Both the government and the private sector have invested heavily in setting up museums and recreation facilities in Riyadh, besides a SR1 billion tourism-cum-commercial complex in the Eastern Province. The most recent of these is the SR50 million Al-Salam Park in Riyadh which has a lake, boating facilities and walkways amid “sylvan” surroundings.
“There was also heavy rush for amusement parks at Janadriya, where the entrance ticket was raised from the normal admission price of SR10 up to SR15 per head,” Syed Ilyas, administrative officer of a local company, told Arab News. “More than 50 amusement parks, each measuring five to ten hectares and offering pony rides, go-carting and other recreational facilities, have been established on both sides of Janadriya Road,” he said.
The Supreme Commission for Tourism (SCT) has identified, besides the existing eight tourism development areas (TDAs), a further 15 that they think have promise, 14 new TDAs and three potential TDAs. They will be developed over the next 20 years as part of five-year development plans.
The SCT has said in its study that 10,000 tourism sites will be developed to meet the needs of tourists by 2020. This would require 100,000 hotel rooms involving a capital investment of SR35 billion in the long term. Some 20,000 investors will have to be found to fund the ambitious tourism program, according to Prince Sultan ibn Salman, secretary-general of SCT.
Two new museums have opened at Baha and Hail as part of a national plan to set up a museum in each of the Kingdom’s 13 regions. Currently there are 15 covering a range of interests.
Dr. Saad Al-Rashed, deputy minister of antiquities and museums, has said the National Museum at the King Abdul Aziz Historical Center was encouraging private collectors to register their exhibits with the museum and establish their own galleries for public viewing. The move was part of a campaign to educate the people about the importance of preserving national heritage.
The government has also set up a tourism promotion plan for Dir’iya. It would involve both modern Dir’iya and historical Dir’iya, where the late King Abdul Aziz, the Kingdom’s founder, established his first capital before shifting to Riyadh.
