By Amal Al-Saeed

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

RIYADH — The National Tourism Strategy expects the Kingdom to be among the top five tourist destinations in the world by 2030 when the revenues generated by tourism will reach about 10 percent of the GDP instead of the present three percent.

The strategy, formulated by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH), aims at creating more than a million new jobs in the tourism sector.

It explained that the new jobs would be direct or indirect employment in the tourist market and the other sectors affiliated to it such as restaurants, hotels, transport, construction, souvenir shops and service providers at tourist locations.

According to the strategy, more tourists will pour on the Kingdom especially after Saudi Arabia started issuing e-tourist visas.

The SCTNH is adamant on nationalizing a large number of tourist jobs including travel and tourism offices, tour organizers, offices of booking tourist units and others.

The commission asked the owners of tourist establishments to qualify Saudis and place them in the top leading positions.

Hisham Al-Mihani, a tourist expert and economic analyst, said the issuance of e-tourist visa will bring in more tourists and will open doors wide for employment of Saudis in the tourist market.

He said the government, with the partnership of the ministry of education and the private sector, is initiating academies and training institutes to employ Saudis in tourist sectors and send Saudis on scholarships abroad to study tourism.