The Supreme Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) has an ambitious plan in place with a target to increase the contributions of tourism sector to the nonoil GDP of Saudi Arabia from 6.5 percent annually to 11 percent in the near future.
Prince Salman, who was speaking after inaugurating a major travel and tourism event here on Sunday night, said “security and stability prevails throughout the Kingdom, which supports continued political, social and economic development.” He said the Saudi government “led by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah had been exerting more efforts to promote the tourism industry.”
The opening ceremony of the high-profile Saudi Travel & Tourism Investment Market (STTIM) was also attended by a large number of royal family members, high-ranking officials, foreign guests and tourism industry leaders.
Prince Sultan bin Salman, chief of the Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities, led Prince Salman on a tour of the STTIM, which has emerged as a major tourism event with a key focus on domestic destinations. These destinations offer a diverse range of tourism products and services. The five-day tourism event, which features the travel and tourism products of about 120 companies, will also provide a forum for speakers and industry leaders to share their experiences. On the sidelines of the event, several seminars, workshops, cultural and handicrafts activities, and photo exhibitions will also be organized.
About 21 speakers will participate in the STTIM’s four seminars and eight workshops that will be organized during the event. Arab News is one of the sponsors of the STTIM.
Abdullah bin Sulaiman Al-Jehani, SCTA vice president for marketing and chief of the STTIM panel, said that the STTIM forum is being held under the theme of “Tourism and Employment” and that it mainly focuses on strategies of employment in the tourism sector. He said the total revenue generated by the tourism industry annually exceeds SR70 billion, representing 6.5 percent of the total nonoil GDP of Saudi Arabia. More than 40,000 tourism entities and facilities are operating as of now, he added.
Al-Jehani said the event is increasingly becoming one of the most important tourism events in the region and that it aims to boost investments. He pointed out that the SCTA had launched several ambitious projects such as the National Project for Tourism Human Resources Development (Takamul), which aims to achieve the Saudization of jobs in the travel and tourism sector.
It is also working to deploy Saudis in hospitality sector, he added.
On the question of cultural programs to be organized at the STTIM, he said that a number of cultural activities will be held on the sidelines of the event. They include folklore performances, handicraft shows, equestrian shows, Badia tents, and photo and fine arts exhibitions. The SCTA will also organize tourism trips for STTIM participants and visitors to important tourism landmarks in Riyadh and its outskirts. This is in addition to the ongoing Janadriya festival, which is also attracting huge crowds.
