JEDDAH, 12 July 2005 — Prince Sultan ibn Salman, secretary-general of the Supreme Commission for Tourism (SCT), yesterday signed a landmark agreement with Transport Minister Dr. Jabara Al-Seraisry on constructing roads leading to the Kingdom’s tourist resorts and attractions. Prince Sultan said the agreement was significant as, according to a study, 84 percent of tourists used roads last year to reach their destinations. “Transportation is an important part of tourism,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted him as saying after the accord was signed.
During the past five years, the SCT has signed 26 cooperation agreements as part of its efforts to promote domestic tourism. Of these accords 13 were with regional governorates and the rest with ministries.
Last month, the SCT signed an agreement with the Culture and Information Ministry to implement the commission’s media strategy and carry out a marketing campaign for summer tourism. Under the agreement, Saudi Television and other media organizations would give special coverage for tourism events in various parts of the country.
A team of experts had earlier prepared a list of roads that serves the Kingdom’s tourism industry. The list subsequently helped in preparing a digital map of tourist sites with drawings of existing and future roads and sites, which could be developed as tourist resorts and attractions.
The SCT and the Transport Ministry agreed that the digital map would be used as a reference for constructing new roads to tourist centers. The map would be updated later in coordination with the commission.
Prince Sultan emphasized the ministry’s pivotal role in preparing the Kingdom’s national tourism strategy and a geographic database of roads leading to tourist spots and sites all over the country. “The strategy has now reached the phase of implementation,” he explained.
Al-Seraisry said the new agreement with SCT would help promote tourism and strengthen the economy. Some of the roads to tourist sites are under construction while others would be renovated and expanded, he added. He said the ministry would request budget allocations for construction of new roads to tourist destinations.
The Kingdom intends to establish a number of tourist resorts along the 1,800-km-long Red Sea coastline as part of its efforts to promote domestic tourism.
Prince Sultan last month signed an SR2.08 million contract with an international consultancy to prepare a plan for tourism development projects on the Red Sea.
Prince Sultan said the agreement was aimed at developing a long-term plan for tourism development on the Red Sea coast and islands having a total length of 1,800 kms and depth of 25 to 50 kms.
He said the project was also aimed at exploiting some historical ports along the Red Sea for tourism purpose. He emphasized the SCT’s intent to balance between protection of marine life in the Red Sea and making economic gains.
Prince Sultan also disclosed plans to establish eight new museums in the Eastern Province and other regions, adding that the government has already made allocations for them.
