Security challenges force Saudi tourists to change destinations

WARM WELCOME: An official of Passport Department at King Abdullah Airport in Jazan presents flowers to a passenger on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr. (SPA)

JEDDAH: The Saudi community is used to spending long vacations outside the Kingdom as a way of change and entertainment, however recent events preoccupied global and local opinion, and caused many security disruptions in neighboring countries.
These include the appearance of terrorist and extremist groups, as well as political conflict and disrupted security in many countries. This resulted in deviation of plans from a touristic point of view for many people, and security has become the priority of many tourists.
Ibrahim Al-Makrami, director of a tourist office, said many Saudi tourists like to spend their vacations outside the Kingdom, and the first thing they ask about is the security of their preferred destination; then they ask about the nature of the land and the available services in these countries.
There are many countries that are famous for their natural beauty, but they are inappropriate from a security point of view, either because of the internal situation or the surrounding countries. Saudis prefer to go to Malaysia and European countries, countries that are far from conflict.
Dr. Jihan Mahmoud, an official for heritage and engineering consultations, said tourist places in Egypt are divided into religious, cultural and touristic areas; tourist places include heritage areas and museums. She added that museums, such as the Egyptian Museum, have many visitors, in addition to the interest of specialists in its archaeological departments.
The importance of museums springs from their presence in the capital, which is easily accessible. She said there are other museums, such as Al-Noba, Al-Oqsur, the Pyramids and Al-Giza. She said the Sphinx occupies a big place in the heart of Egyptians in particular, and the world in general, because it tells about civilization 7,000 years ago. She said Egypt takes special care of tourists by offering services such as suitable accommodations, prices, public facilities and protection.
Israa’ Eisa, a writer from Jordan, said tourist places in any part of the world are a moment between civilizations, where everyone likes to stand between the present and the past. In Jordan there is Um Qais, a city that was previously inhabited by the Greeks and the Romans, and one of the most important tourist cities in Jordan. Visitors feel safe there and go back in time to experience the richness of its past culture. When you stand at the top of the city, you can hear the voice of the Golan Heights, and see the light reflect off Lake Tiberius. The Citadel, in Amman, houses the cradle of civilization; on the Citadel hill, visitors stand and view Amman, and listen to past civilizations as a symphony that is filled with the scent of the past. There you find various ruins that belonged to many nations; you find yourself in front of the remaining skeleton of the Hercules Temple, and then in front of the Umayyad Palace. These places provide suitable public facilities that serve tourists in an appropriate manner.
Abdullah Ahmad, a citizen, said that Saudi tourism is very expensive in comparison to the available services. While we have natural tourist areas such as Abha, Al-Baha, Taif, Yanbu and Jeddah, there is a problem of cost and poor organization at a majority of tourist areas.
Ali Mubarak said lack of suitable entertainment cities, in terms of price and structure, is one of the reasons that push citizens to look for other countries to spend their vacations.