70 festivals, 620 tourism events planned for holidays

JEDDAH: The Kingdom will have more than 70 major festivals and 620 smaller events this long summer holiday, which includes cultural, arts, sports and shopping activities.
A 30 percent increase in domestic tourism is expected this year compared to last year, with over 7,000 temporary jobs created for young Saudis, said the Tourism Information and Research Center (MAS) of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH).
This holiday is likely to see domestic tourism spending in the Kingdom hit SR20.6 billion, a 53.7 percent rise compared to last year, largely because of the longer vacation of 117 days and unrest in other parts of the Arab world, a local publication reported Thursday.
It is expected that 17.8 million people will hit the road to various destinations inside the country, a 44.7 percent increase compared to last year, according to MAS.
The center also reported that Saudis heading overseas would increase by 36.9 percent to 8.8 million people and would likely spend SR36.2 billion, a rise of 37.1 percent.
There would be 100 programs designed for the “Live Saudi Arabia” trips to various parts of the country including heritage sites, museums, and cultural landmarks. The SCTNH has also launched an advertisement campaign to encourage domestic tourism on social media.
It is providing information on local tourism through its internal tourism information centers at the Taif and Asir airports, in addition to 350 electronic tourist guides distributed at airports, hotels and markets across the country.
The public can call the SCTNH’s toll free number 19988 for information on tourist companies and facilities. There will also be the ability to make reservations and receive detailed information on prices of hotels, resorts and restaurants.
Under its slogan on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, “Live it … Discover it,” the SCTNH is targeting local and Gulf tourists. It is also working with media across the region to highlight the attractions of the Kingdom.