This issue is under the jurisdiction of the State Consulate General in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Tourism in Saudi Arabia is one of the emerging sectors with rapid growth, and represents one of the important axes of the Saudi Vision 2030. In addition to the historical and heritage treasures and the natural and cultural diversity of Saudi Arabia, its land is considered the cradle of the Islamic religion, which makes it a tourist attraction, where the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque visit millions of Muslims to perform the Hajj. And the rituals of Umrah, and the Kingdom was the first Arab destination preferred by Muslim tourists and fourth in the world among the list of the top ten most visited destinations by Muslim tourists, out of 130 countries, according to the report of the Global Islamic Tourism Index for the year 2019.
The logo of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage.
- On September 27, 2019, Saudi Arabia introduced, for the first time in its history, a tourist visa that allows all citizens of the world to come to it throughout the year, according to new regulations that included the ability to obtain the visa electronically or upon arrival at one of the entry points, and does not require the presence of escorts for women, or the necessity To wear the abaya, with the obligation to adhere to order and public taste. According to the system of this visa, which is valid for a whole year, multiple visits to the Kingdom can be carried out, provided that they do not exceed 90 days at a time. Citizens of 49 countries will benefit from the visa in its first stage, which is expected to represent about 80% of global travel expenses and 75% of recreational trips in world by 2030.
- Saudi Arabia is counting on increasing the tourism sector’s contribution to the national product, as Ahmed Al-Khatib, head of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, the Ministry of Tourism, announced that it has attracted investments estimated at 115 billion riyals until the time of the launch of the tourist visa, expecting in 2030 to receive 100 million visits annually to make the Kingdom in accordance with Vision 2030. It is among the 5 most welcoming countries for tourists, as it is now working to increase the capacity of its airports to 150 million passengers annually, and is also developing new tourist destinations such as the Future City “NEOM” and the Qiddiya Cultural City near Riyadh, in addition to a number of tourism and entertainment projects in the vicinity of the sea. the Red. The number of hotel rooms is expected to increase by an additional 500,000 rooms.
- Tourism is receiving increasing support from the Saudi government, which is currently working on implementing comprehensive development processes for the tourism sector, including a number of major projects, modernizing and developing infrastructure, rehabilitating tourist and heritage sites, upgrading the accommodation sector, travel agencies and tourism services, and developing activities and events in tourist sites. As well as the development of tourism human resources. The Tourism Authority seeks to complete its mission towards transforming tourism into an economic sector that contributes increasingly effectively to the gross national product, support the national economy, with revenues of up to 10%, and provide up to 1.6 million jobs in 2030.
- The Saudi tourism sector contributed to the development of the GDP by more than 7.2% in 2011. The employment rate of Saudis in it exceeded 26% of the total workers in the tourism sector, who occupy 670,000 direct jobs. This employment also contributed to 9.1% of the total workforce in the Kingdom. in the private sector. According to the data of the World Tourism Organization, the share of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the number of tourist trips to the Middle East has reached 32%. A report presented at the World Economic Forum revealed that Saudi Arabia earned $76 billion from tourism in 2013, of which foreign tourists spent 48 billion while local tourists spent 28 billion. In 2008, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization declared Mada'in Saleh (Al-Hijr) a World Heritage Site, thus becoming the first site in Saudi Arabia to join the list of World Heritage Sites. In 2010, Diriyah was added to the list, and in 2014 the historic Jeddah was added to the same list, and rock art in the Hail region was added in 2015 to be on the World Heritage List, as well as the Al-Ahsa Oasis in 2018. The Kingdom was ranked as the fourth tourist destination in the World Tourism Index for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries for the year 2014.
Tourist areas in the western region
Makkah Region
- The region includes a number of provinces, and the city of Mecca is considered the holy capital, and it contains the Grand Mosque. It also has prominent sites in Islamic history, and is characterized by its high mountains and valleys that form an identity for the city of Mecca, and it has a number of museums, and for shopping, there are a number of popular markets in addition to centers.
- The most prominent of its features are Jabal Al-Nour, Mount Thawr, Mount Arafa, also known as the Mount of Mercy, the Kaaba Cloth Factory, Aisha Mosque, Namira Mosque, Al-Bayah Mosque, Al-Jaba Mosque, Al-Jin Mosque, Al-Hudaybiyah Mosque, Al-Khayf Mosque, Al-Masha’ar Al-Haram Mosque, and others.
- Mosques there are Tawa Well, Al-Saqqaf Palace, Al-Hudaybiya site, Dhu Al-Majaz market, and the Makkah Museum of Antiquities and Heritage. Among its modern landmarks are the Abraj Al-Bait Towers, also known as the Makkah Clock Tower.
- The Makkah region embraces the city of Jeddah, the second most important city in Saudi Arabia, and it has many marine places that provide various activities such as diving, swimming or shopping, and it has a Corniche that includes a number of restaurants and recreational areas, and it also has an Obhur area.
- The area is also the historical Shuaiba port. Taif is distinguished for being the most prominent summer resort in the Kingdom. It is famous for the cultivation of Taif roses, for which an annual festival is held, and other agricultural products. The Taif Summer Festival, and other festivals are also held.
Medina Region
- Tourism varies in the Madinah region, where the Prophet’s Mosque, Quba Mosque, which is the first mosque built in Islam, the Friday Mosque in which the first Friday prayer was held, the Mosque of the Two Qiblas, and other historical mosques
- Baqi’ al-Gharqad, Bir al-Khatim, and sites of several historical invasions, most notably Badr, Uhud, the Trench, and other monuments and landmarks. It contains the Hejaz Railway Station Museum and Dar Al-Madina Museum of Urban and Civilized Heritage, in addition to a number of private museums. The city of Yanbu, located on the Red Sea coast, is an attractive area for diving enthusiasts, and in the north of Yanbu there is the Sharm Yanbu area, which is one of the distinctive coastal areas and contains many resorts, diving centers, yachts for diving and safari, and the Marine Biology Museum. The region also includes the Al-Ula Governorate, which includes Al-Khuraibeh, Madain Saleh, and the Hejaz Railway Station in Madaen.
