Bloomberg/Christopher Pike
Saudi Arabia’s developing efforts to turn the Kingdom into a magnet for holidaymakers attracted 50,000 visitors since the September 2019 launch and almost three times that number applied for tourist visas officials hope will diversify an oil-dependent economy, reported Bloomberg.
Ahmed Al-Khateeb, the Chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, said, “British tourists followed by Chinese were the top visitors and around 140,000 people requested tourist visas.”
The numbers are in line with our expectations, we are expecting that the adventurous will come first to explore the country and this is what is happening,” said Al-Khateeb.
While representing an important beginning for the Kingdom, there is a long way to go before it can compare to long-established regional destinations. Dubai received more than 130,000 Saudi tourists a month on average last year. Saudi officials said that they will need to add flights and hotel rooms to meet demand as they chase their targets.
The Saudi government’s now delivering on a pledge made in 2016 to allow tourism as the oil-price rout wreaked havoc on finances and triggered Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s plan to overhaul the economy.
To attract visitors, officials have significantly loosened some social restrictions, dropping a requirement that foreign women wear floor-length robes in public and allowing foreign, unmarried couples to share hotel rooms.
Businesses could be allowed to stay open during Islam’s daily prayers—Saudi restaurants, cafes and shops close for half an hour several times a day—if it becomes a must, said Al-Khateeb.
MOST READ
BUSINESS
Fed rate cuts add pressure on Saudi banksBUSINESS
GCC UHNWIs population to grow by 26 per cent...BUSINESS
ING Groep plans to sell its Turkish unitBUSINESS
Bahrain considers stake sell in oil assetsBUSINESS
SEDCO Capital exits a US real estate investmentBUSINESS
NMC Health hires Moelis for debt restructuringBUSINESS
SABB seeks to boost corporate lendingBUSINESS
Dubai’s W Motors seeks funds to go electricBUSINESS
SHUAA Capital reports a net profit of AED 45...BUSINESS
HSBC considering exiting from TurkeyBUSINESS
Zimbabwe turns to UAE to sell a stake in...BUSINESS
Dubai's DP World buys 44 per cent stake in...
CPI Financial was established in Dubai in 1999 to meet the needs of an ever-expanding financial community, offering a comprehensive portfolio of market-leading products and services tailor-made for the banking and financial services sectors.
Loading More post
