RIYADH: A delegation comprising mayors of 15 French cities arrived in Riyadh on Sunday for a weeklong visit to the Kingdom following an invitation extended by the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and the General Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (GCTA).
The invitation was in line with efforts for collaboration between the Kingdom and France to improve civic services and the preservation of historical landmarks in the two countries.
The French mayors will tour the King Abdulaziz Historical Center in Riyadh, the Historical City of Jeddah, the Nabataean town of Madain Saleh and other places of historic and touristic importance as well as the modern landmarks in Riyadh, Jeddah and the Eastern Province.
The delegation will also visit many ongoing development projects, including King Abdullah Economic City in Rabigh and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Thuwal, 80 km north of Jeddah.
The French delegation yesterday held a meeting with Prince Sultan bin Salman, secretary-general of the GCTA, at the commission’s headquarters in the Diplomatic Quarter.
Prince Sultan briefed the French officials about numerous tourism development projects in the country. Expressing his appreciation for the delegation’s keen interest in visiting Saudi Arabia, Prince Sultan said it was his dream to see the Kingdom’s tourism spots developed in the model of tourism cities in France. He also reiterated the importance of preserving historic landmarks in the country. Members of the French delegation expressed their appreciation for the Saudi hospitality.
“We received a fantastic welcome here. I am impressed with the quality of buildings, parks and sites that I have seen; there is a good opportunity to develop these sites for international tourism. The Kingdom has the potential to attract a lot of tourists from abroad,” said Franck Leroy, the mayor of Epernay. “In the coming days, we hope to see historical sites in other parts of the country and experience its ethnic and cultural diversity.”
During their stay, the French officials will also meet with Riyadh Gov. Prince Salman, Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Eastern Province Gov. Prince Muhammad bin Fahd, Assistant Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs Prince Mansour bin Miteb, Shoura Council President Saleh Bin-Humaid and other senior officials.
