Saudis asking: Where to spend Haj vacation?
This is the biggest question dominating family gatherings at the moment. By the way, it is the longest Haj vacation ever. It stretches up to nearly 20 days. One of my daily habits is reading, nearly, all local papers. Within, I have seen the amount of tourism advertisement by countries like Malaysia, Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain. These pricey tourism campaigns tell that the Saudi tourist is still an iconic sales target. The chase is also carried through e-mail, social media and even through SMS. The amount of adds is double of whatever I have seen in the last few years.
Family tourism sellers are quiet aware of a few things. First: They are aware of the high prices of local tourism in Saudi Arabia, especially in terms of accommodation. Second: They know that many Saudi families are after a different kind of entertainment (Cinemas, open restaurants, etc). Third and most important of all: The family tourism business is aware that the most appealing part of KSA for local tourism is the western coast of it. At the moment, this part of Saudi Arabia is busy serving millions of pilgrims who came to perform Haj.
So, the millions of riyals spent by other countries, advertising their tourist attractions, is not a waste of money. It is based on the fact that this is a long vacation with limited internal choices, by a made up necessity.
The writer is Chairman, Saudi Cartoon & Animation Society
Email: [email protected]
