https://arab.news/nz8xm
- Year 2022 placed Italy among top five countries for tourists who chose KSA as holiday destination
- Archaeological wonders of AlUla, historical centers of Riyadh and Jeddah carry special appeal for Italians
ROME: In 2022, Italy鈥痺as鈥痑mong the top five countries of origin for tourists who chose 抖阴短视频 as their holiday destination.鈥�
Italian tourism in the Kingdom鈥痟as been seeing鈥痵teady growth. In just鈥痶he first 6 months of鈥�2022, around 1,500 Italians traveled to the country.
AlUla, with its archaeological wonders, remains the鈥痜avorite鈥痙estination for Italian tourists, followed by Riyadh and Jeddah, the historical centers of which carry obvious appeal to Italians.
鈥淲hen they go back home, all Italian tourists say they鈥痺ere鈥痚nthusiastic and incredibly surprised by 抖阴短视频,鈥濃�疎leonora鈥疊ertuzzi, director of鈥疊ertel,鈥痮ne of the first Italian tour operators to organize trips to 抖阴短视频, beginning in 2002, told Arab News.
FASTFACT
鈥� In the first 6 months of鈥�2022, about 1,500 Italians traveled to 抖阴短视频.
鈥� In 2022, Italy鈥痺as鈥痑mong the top 5 countries of origin for tourists who chose KSA as their holiday destination.
Bertuzzi鈥痩ives in Milan and collaborates with Kel12, a tour operator in the city. However, she鈥痵ays she prefers鈥痶o cooperate with鈥疭audi suppliers who maintain authentic local traditions.
鈥淏efore鈥痝etting there, Italian tourists鈥痚xpect to find an extremely closed country where nothing can be done. Instead,鈥痶hey鈥痵ee鈥痑 modern and interesting country, where young people have a great desire to鈥痚njoy life鈥痑nd do interesting things.鈥�
She鈥痵ays Italians鈥痑lways tell her they are鈥�渋mpressed鈥� by the Saudi people, especially those 鈥渆ngaged in promoting heritage, trying to offer tourists new experiences, like those who have opened their homes to organize lunches and show how a middle-class Saudi family lives every day.鈥�
Al-Balad, Jeddah鈥檚 historical heart and a UNESCO world heritage site shows remnants of old Hejaz, making it a favorite tourist attraction in the city. (Shutterstock)
Italian tourists鈥痑re equally fascinated鈥痓y the archaeological heritage of the Kingdom.
鈥淎lUla鈥痠s an open-air museum,鈥痑nd鈥疪iyadh with its antiquities is also much loved by our tourists who seek to understand the country by studying its origins,鈥� Bertuzzi鈥痵aid.
鈥淔ifty percent of Italian tourists鈥痵ay they鈥痺ant to return to 抖阴短视频. We are now studying alternative itineraries and destinations.鈥疉mong these,鈥疦EOM will be very interesting,鈥� she added.
According to鈥疊ertuzzi, there are 鈥渆xcellent prospects鈥� for the growth of Italian tourism in 抖阴短视频.鈥�淎t the moment, prices are still high for Italians. But we鈥檙e working鈥痮n that.鈥�