“Saudi Arabia is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of tourism assets,” the SCTA chief said in an interview with Arab News on Wednesday. “Added to that it has a home-grown major market that is still not served. It is an opportunity waiting to happen and that is where we are today.”
The full extent of the country’s cultural dimension is not well known outside a relatively small circle of academics and Middle East specialists.
In a speech at Oxford University in June 2010, Prince Sultan said it was timely “we identify and present this defining cultural dimension to the world now, as Saudi Arabia increasingly occupies a central role in world religious, economic, political and cultural affairs with ever-growing responsibilities and obligations. It is also imperative that we, as a people, recognize our responsibility as custodians of a great religion and civilization.”
For most, Saudi Arabia is overwhelmingly identified with the Islamic tradition. “We must consider that Islam did not arrive into a vacuum,” said Prince Sultan in the speech. “Rather, it was founded over existing layers of civilization, and flourished in a culturally disparate society.”
It is this recognition that defines the current changes and future direction of the SCTA in its task to refine tourism and take it forward.
Five or so years ago, the idea of tourism in Saudi Arabia facilitated by citizens barely existed. That has radically changed. “Saudis today have the insight to see that the country has tourism sites to become a tourist powerhouse,” said Prince Sultan.
The regulations concerning tourism activity have changed completely, a management structure for tourism created and a great deal invested in training mayors and local governments and communities to engage with and meet tourism issues. The SCTA won a UN award for its program “Tourism Enriches.”
“We also have a joint venture with the Ministry of Education and an award winning program ‘Smile,’ which engages students,” he said. “We already have about 700,000 boys and girls who have literally been trained to become better tourists and hosts.”
In preparing for the future development of the tourist industry, the SCTA has completed a massive survey of the country’s heritage and tourism sites and locked them into a program of protection.
“There has been a complete infrastructure overhaul, and we created something out of nonexistent sectors. Now we know what we have, the training is in place and the awareness is there and growing,” he said.
Accommodation infrastructure has seen a huge change over this period. Hotels have been properly classified and initiatives put in place to develop holiday and hotel apartments. One interesting development is the licenses issued for heritage and farm accommodation. This will encourage the conversion of old buildings and working farms to offer tourist accommodation.
Previously unused buildings will be turned through investment funded by the government into heritage accommodation. One example already under way in Qassim is Al-Ghar, in the heart of the date producing area.
Prince Sultan admits there is still much to do to change the mindset, not only about tourism, but also about heritage.
“We are now in a big drive to revive the heritage dimension of Saudi Arabia. Tourism is not just about tourism and service, it’s also about heritage sites, about understanding and it’s about people providing the service,” he said.
The addition of the “A” to SCT is part of the initiative to include antiquities into the tourism mix of the Kingdom.
“It is also partly the other way round, as tourism can support the development of antiquities and sites. At the same time we will not destroy our heritage, just open it for tourism. We know both how to respect and revive it.”
To make the development of tourism in the Kingdom viable, investors need visitors coming through and creating a revenue stream so that they are encouraged to invest.
Prince Sultan has a longer term and subtler intent as well. “It is important that the young people of the nation start reconnecting not just with their past but with the strength of this country being such a diversified entity with beautiful sites all over it.”
He saw the problem as the current lack of destinations. “But they will have them to go to and visit a completely different region and enjoy a complete heritage experience and to have the value of Saudi Arabia explained to them, “ he said.
He set out his goals for the next three years. The immediate aim is to bring the main projects to a close. “The government will decide on financing investment in tourist accommodation and other related investment in the next few months.”
That included decisions on what investors need to be supported. The second is to create the National Tourism Development Company an having the funds put behind it.
Third, a “big program to develop our heritage dimension. I cannot reveal more but hopefully that will be announced this year,” he confided.
Finally the construction of major museums and “to finish up the investments needed to develop the coastal and mountain destinations — not hotels in big cities, but places where you go to let your hair down,” he concluded.
The face of tourism, if the history of the SCTA over the past five years is any indicator, is about to change for the better and permanently.
