Tourism

.

Saudi Arabia lifts the veil -- Conservative kingdom opening door to foreign tourists, BOTTOM LINE: VISAS: Saudi Arabia is by no means opening up to individual tourists. In fact, tourist visas are still non-existent. But small "educational groups" from universities, alumni organizations and museums are getting special travel permits through Saudi Arabian Airlines, the national carrier.  www.canoe.ca/TravelWorld/saudi_9905.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During each of the school breaks and summer vacation, Jeddah fills to capacity with visitors from within Saudi and from the neighboring Arab countries. It's easy to spot the visitor to Jeddah either they drive 'differently' or the women are wearing very traditional abaya's. We normally go out at 5 PM and don't get too much of the evening traffic but once the sunset prayers are over, the streets fill with cars and every walking space available (including all the malls and shopping areas) are filled to overflowing. Most of this traffic is simply the people out 'for a drive' as they call it, actually it means getting out to anywhere, driving and walking.

With the promotion of tourism in Jeddah the visitors increase during each break.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One of the most wanted places to visit is Madain Saleh with it's majestic homes carved into the rock mountains. See the page Tabouk  for more information and pictures. http://www.adumatu.com/madan.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prince Sultan Bin Salman has what might seem an impossible job: getting tourists to visit a place where the temperature hits 115 degrees, you can't buy a beer and the two most famous cities are barred to non-Muslims.
www.sptimes.com/2002/webspecials02/saudiarabia/day1/story2.shtml

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Kingdom is committed to developing tourism as part of its overall economic diversification strategy.
The Tourism Higher Authority has been given the task of overseeing a massive expansion in the Kingdom’s tourist facilities and services.
Amongst the various tourist expansion projects is “Al-Hada Resort, Cable Car and Al-Kar Tourist
Village” project in Taif Governorate, the first phase of which was launched in 2001. The SR 70 million-
project, in its first phase, includes the 4,200 meters-long cable car route that connects the high altitude
area of Al-Hada with the low altitude area of Al-Kar village. It includes hotels, restaurants, family parks
and playgrounds.
Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz predicted that there would be 45.3 million tourists in the year
2020, and a tourist expenditure of 80 billion riyals.
www.saudinf.com/main/e9.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Welcome to the website of Tourism in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
www.sauditourism.gov.sa/sct/indexb.php

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These are areas which have sea fronts such as Jeddah in the Western Region and Dammam
in the East. Areas of natural beauty: such as Taif, Al Baha and Abha. Historical sites: such as Mada'in Salih in Diriyah which are renown for thier antiquity.   www.the-saudi.net/saudi-arabia/tourism.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leisure & Tourism Market in Saudi Arabia
Very few recreational projects were available in the past,and Saudis have always had to go abroad to
satisfy their demands for entertainment. This cost the economy some U$8 billion every year (according to
a recent estimate). In order to retain part of this huge amount of hard currency spent outside,the
government started encouraging local investment in recreational projects.

Also, Saudi Arabia has had a history of discouraging foreign tourists from visiting the country, but this
policy is now changing. Visa regulations are being relaxed to encourage tourists to visit the Kingdom's
cultural, historic and archaelogical sites.

www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk/recreation/saudi_arabia/profile/overview.shtml

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Saudis drive considerably faster and more unpredictably than American drivers. One must learn to drive by " instinct" and make much more effort to judge the intentions of other drivers and pedestrians.
   The surface of any vehicle will sustain considerable wear because of the environment--scorching sun, blowing sand, high humidity along the coasts, and debris from construction and uncovered trucks on the highway.
http://wrc.lingnet.org/sauditip.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Arabia Basic Facts / Tips for Visitors  http://wrc.lingnet.org/sauditip.htm

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Found something wrong..... spelling or grammar -- missing spaces -- broken website links????  PLEASE email me!!!!

.

.