www. times.hankooki.com The domestic tourism in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has achieved great growth over the past years.
The country witnessed several tourist projects and installations carried out by the government and the private sector.
The government concentrated on developing tourist areas on the kingdom’s western and eastern shores, as well as summer resorts in Taif, Baha and Asir.
National investment in tourism doubled and reached thousands of millions of riyals.
This led to the establishment of several giant tourist enterprises and companies, which handle the construction, administration and operation of several kinds of tourism projects.
There are about 370 travel and tourism agencies in the kingdom.
A study, released by the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry Research Center, estimated the total of Saudi citizens’ expenditure on internal and external tourism at an average of about $17 billion annually.
The quota of internal tourism out of this amount does not exceed 27 percent. This caused the state to concentrate its efforts on developing the internal (home) market.
The summer resorts, in Taif, Baha and Asir, located in the southwestern area, are the best resorts in the kingdom.
These areas, which are three thousand meters above sea level, are distinguished by their moderate weather in summer and beautiful scenery.
They are famous for various fruits and vegetables and are connected with the kingdom’s other areas by air through regional airports in Abha, Baha and Taif, and by land through a network of roads that extends across the valleys and mountains.
In addition to the integration of their infrastructure including transportation, water, electricity and modern communications, the upper structure is also integrated with gardens and parks and the availability of various tourism services.
The temperature in these areas ranges between 25 and 30 degrees and goes down to less than this in the hills of Asir and Baha.
The temperature in other cities in the kingdom and Gulf states reaches 45 degrees sometimes.
So the resorts are crowded with tourists who go there from different parts of the kingdom and the nearby Gulf states.
Although Taif is considered the primary summer resort in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Asir and Baha have started to compete with it in attracting those on summer vacation due to the tourism facilities available there.
Taif is distinct with its nearness to Makkah as the summer vacationers like to go to the holy mosque for Omra, going around the Kaaba, going to and fro in Safa and Marwa (Omra rituals), and then back to Taif within a few hours.
To the south of Taif, a distance of 250 km approximately, lies the area of Baha with its beautiful air and nature.
Besides the citadels and fortresses in the area, it has a unique architectural heritage.
It is also distinct with abundant production of fruits and vegetables. The most important of its cities is Belgurashy, an important commercial center, 12km away from Baha City.
Each year, the area receives thousands of summer vacationers who fly there from various areas in the kingdom and the Gulf States. Different facilities, tourism services, hotels, furnished flats, restaurants and recreation centers are available. |