Tourism
From The Report: Saudi Arabia 2016
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With the holy cities of Makkah and Medina attracting millions of pilgrims every year, the bulk of Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry remains concentrated in these two areas. The seasonal nature of many pilgrim visits has historically presented a challenge to the country’s tourism authorities, and as a result various plans and initiatives have been designed in recent years to drive tourism activities across the Kingdom more broadly, by enhancing existing facilities and developing resort-style tourist centres as well as promoting awareness of the options available for domestic tourists. Under Vision 2030 there are plans to develop the sector as a major contributor the economy, with reforms to visa issuance and development of historic heritage sites integral to boosting the numbers.

This chapter contains interviews with Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Chairman and President, Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage; and Abdullah Al Dawood, CEO, Al Tayyar Travel Group.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

A rising star: The sector gains in importance in the face of subdued hydrocarbons earnings
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With the holy cities of Makkah and Medina attracting millions of pilgrims every year, the bulk of Saudi Arabia’s tourist industry remains concentrated in these two areas. The seasonal nature of many pilgrim visits has historically presented a challenge to the country’s tourism authorities, and as a result, recent years have witnessed various plans and initiatives to drive tourism activities across the Kingdom more broadly, by enhancing existing facilities and developing resort-style tourist centres…

Interview

Enabling discovery: OBG talks to Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Chairman and President, Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH)
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Interview:Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud How is the introduction of the “After Umrah” programme likely to impact the contributions of tourism to the Kingdom’s economy? PRINCE SULTAN BIN SALMAN BIN ABDULAZIZ AL SAUD: The announcement of After Umrah was a great step forward and is something we have been working towards for years at the SCTH. We believe that, given the opportunity, people will come for Umrah, tourism and then perhaps conduct business meetings or attend…

Analysis

A helping hand: New initiatives are set to boost tourist numbers
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The National Transformation Programme (NTP), a key component of Vision 2030, details support for a series of initiatives and programmes developed by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) that aim to position the wider, non-religious tourism segment as a key generator of non-oil based growth. It hopes to achieve this by leveraging the Kingdom’s position as a major pilgrim destination, spreading the benefits of religious-based travel more equally throughout the Kingdom via…

Interview

Onward and upward: OBG talks to Abdullah Al Dawood, CEO, Al Tayyar Travel Group
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Interview:Abdullah Al Dawood What economic contribution do you expect tourism to play in the Kingdom’s future, and what employment opportunities do you envisage? ABDULLAH AL DAWOOD: Religious tourism, through the Hajj and the Umrah, will play a critical role in economic growth and prosperity over the next decade under the Saudi Vision 2030 development plan. The government has invested hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure upgrades to increase the Kingdom’s capacity to accommodate…

Analysis

Mobile model: Online travel market is thriving, with further growth expected
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The rise of online booking platforms has had a major impact on the global travel and tourism industry as use of traditional travel agencies has given way to purchases made through online providers, or online travel agencies (OTAs). Although take-up of internet booking in the MENA region was initially slower than in other, more developed regions, there is a steadily increasing tendency to book online. Indeed, mobile has been a game changer in the region. The rising usage rates for mobile internet…