Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) said that the majority of the foreigners visit Kingdom for religious purposes and tourism, and only about 20 percent of them come here for business.

Tariq Al-Essa, business tourism project manager at the SCTA, said: “The government is keen to position Saudi Arabia as a substantial meetings destination.”

Such a meeting ground he said, will aim at adding a significant element to the Kingdom’s economy as also to become a prominent employment generator by year 2025.”

“This is a vital industry in generating tourism activities and promoting a positive impact on social, cultural and environmental initiatives,” Al-Essa said.

The SCTA is equipped with the financial resources to ensure maximal Saudi impact on international markets and is able to promote the Kingdom as a global destination both for leisure and business.

Prince Sultan bin Salman, SCTA president, recently said: “The alliance between tourism and air transportation is very much inseparable and it is very important to focus on aligning these two sectors to make destinations more accessible and affordable.”

According to Business Monitor International (BMI’s) Saudi Arabia Tourism Report Q4 2013, occupancy rates in the Eastern Province have risen over 80 percent during the summer months.

BMI maintains its forecast of a 7-percent increase in arrivals for 2013, with an additional 38.6 percent increase between the years 2013 and 2017. This translates to almost 24 million arrivals by the end of forecast period in 2017.

“We are currently forecasting a 41-percent growth rate over this period to reach $13.09 billion. This total will comprise just under $1 billion for transport services and $12.21 billion for travel items,” the report said.

Arab News recently reported that the seventh edition of the Saudi Travel and Tourism Investment Market (STTIM 2014) will be held in Riyadh with the support of the SCTA.

STTIM 2014 aims to bring together a large number of Arabic and international companies that are engaged in areas of tourism investment and services.

The Kingdom is currently investing in infrastructure, including the construction of sea ports, hotels, residence and commercial buildings, two holy sites, roads, airports, meeting halls, conference and exhibition centers and heritage sites, among others, to protect and boost the economy and business sector.

The SCTA is a vital source of the Kingdom’s development process and responsible for promoting the economic, social, environmental and cultural values.

The SCTA recently launched a program for skills development to deal with tourists. It also aims to rehabilite security officers who deal with tourists and contribute to the development of the national tourism sector.