Yousuf Al-Muhaimeed
THE annual spending by Saudis on foreign tourism has crossed SR70 billion. This means we have been competing with expatriate workers in transferring huge amounts abroad, denying our country valuable money, which should have been spent inside the Kingdom.
How can this happen? What justification do Saudi citizens have to avoid spending their holidays in tourist destinations around the world and instead go to Taif, Abha or Baha? What is the strongest reason for a European tourist to come and spend his vacation in our country?
I believe that Saudi Arabia has the potential to become a major tourist destination in the Middle East. It can overcome complaints such as high hotel charges, a lack of public transport facilities, dearth of tourism services, shortage of recreational facilities and fun parks and weak tourism programs with the support of Saudi and foreign investors.
These elements are essential for the development of tourism in any country but it cannot be achieved by the Saudi investor alone. The Saudi investor will not be ready to make an adventure in the field. The arrival of foreign investors will strengthen the sector, bringing about innovative ideas and providing adequate facilities.
We have noticed that some Saudi investors exploit government facilities and incentives and then run away from the sector. We have to adopt two things as part of the strategy to strengthen tourism as a productive sector and a pillar of the national economy.
Firstly, we have to facilitate the entry of foreign companies specialized in tourism and recreation and soften conditions to encourage them to invest in the Kingdom. We should not impose any restrictions under the pretext of the Kingdom’s “special status”.
Secondly, we have to get rid of the false notion of domestic tourism as there is nothing called foreign and domestic tourism anywhere in the world.
It is just tourism, whether it is within the country or outside. When we deal with tourism as a vital economic sector, it should be considered as only industry, without creating divisions on the basis of strange criteria.
We should be prepared to receive any tourist from anywhere in the world as tourism in our country should be open to all, not to any specific group.
In order to develop the tourism industry, the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage and other relevant agencies should give a new definition to tourists while setting out strategy. Tourists include not only Saudis and expatriates but also people who come from different parts of the world.
When we change our target from domestic tourists to foreign tourists, our tourism ambitions will reach greater heights and the level of services and entertainment facilities will improve. We will be looking at tourism with two eyes, not by one, meeting the requirements of tourists coming from within the country and abroad. If we look at them with a single eye, our tourism strategy will remain faulty and stagnant.
We have achieved remarkable progress in terms of setting out a clear vision and strategy spending millions of riyals. We have to transform these strategies into reality and this will enable us to achieve rapid strides in various fields and compete with others.
We have to take drastic steps and adopt new social and investment regulations to give tourism a shot in the arm, woo foreign investment in the sector and encourage foreigners to visit Saudi Arabia to enjoy its various tourist attractions such as antiquities, historical sites and museums, beyond the religious tourism.
