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DAMMAM: The Saudi government has approved a plan to begin issuing tourist visas for the country, Al Watan newspaper reported yesterday. The paper’s sources stated that, in the first stage of the rollout, visas will only be available to groups of visitors through authorized tour operators.
Jamal Al-Fakhri, a member of the Shoura Council and the executive committee of Tabuk Tourism Development Council, told Al Watan that he hoped Tabuk would become “a destination for tourists in the region.”
He said that the Public Investment Fund (PIF) would help to promote tourism in ��������Ƶ, adding that tourism projects “with further diversify job opportunities” in the Kingdom.
“There are many (potential) tour guides who are multilingual and ready to work in the field after meeting the requirements set by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH),” he continued.
Rustam Al-Kubaisi, head of the SCTH’s Jizan branch, cited the Asir development project, the annual Souk Okaz in Ta’if, and the Farasan Islands as examples of tourism initiatives in the Kingdom, as well as museums and archaeological sites.
“The SCTH has been conducting tourism training workshops for the youth on topics including establishing small tourism projects and methods for increasing safety in tourism establishments,” he said. “This is in addition to raising awareness about the importance of relics, urban heritage and historical buildings.”
He added that the people of Jizan are renowned for their hospitality and are ready to welcome tourists from outside the Kingdom.