Tourism events expected to generate SR15bn this year
“Last year, the income of tourism events in the Kingdom had reached over SR11 billion from various festivals and events, and this year, the income is expected to reach SR15 billion considering the increase in the number of events,” said the SCTNH media department on Wednesday.
This year, summer festivals are expected to create over 7,000 temporary jobs for youths during the ongoing summer break of about four months, it said, adding that this year, summer is characterized by a large number of diverse tourism festivals, programs and offers, up by over 30 percent as compared to last year.
Summer season this year includes more than 70 programs as well as more than 100 tourism trips by the “Live Saudi Arabia” summer program to different parts of the Kingdom for visiting archaeological and historical sites, besides visits to museums and the locations that reflect the Kingdom’s cultural and economic developments.
The size of the investment in the events sector exceeded over SR100 million carried out by over 130 companies and organizations working in the sector, and it is expected to reach to over SR150 million this year, it added.
Commenting on success of tourism events, Abdullah Al-Morshid, director general of tourism programs and products at the SCTNH, said, “this summer, tourism festivals in various provinces of the Kingdom are enjoying high demand by citizens and tourists alike.”
The Department of Tourism Programs and Products conducts a number of meetings and workshops before the onset of the season with event operators and officials of organizing committees, and relevant festival departments throughout the provinces to determine the appropriateness of tourist events and activities, he revealed.
“Some people talk about the repetition and monotony of summer festivals,” said Al-Morshid, adding that the “SCTNH respects all views and criticism it receives via its e-mail and its TICs (tourism information centers).”
“There are more than 700 events and activities within these festivals, some of them are demanded annually to be held, despite being repeated; however, we are keen on having new events each year at summer festivals and not to be bogged down by repeats,” he pointed.
The SCTNH announced the launch of a “comprehensive development program for tourism events” in the Kingdom for 20142018 in order to keep pace with citizen turnout at the events and aspirations toward their development.
The commission persistently seeks to promote the events sector in the Kingdom, he said.
RIYADH: With the upsurge in the number of tourism events this year, income from these events is expected to reach SR15 billion, according to the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH).