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SAUDI tourism will get a new identity with the Supreme Commission for Tourism (SCT) planning to launch a new branding exercise soon.
The new identity will project the industry as young, energetic and vibrant and one which is changing, said Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the SCT secretary general.
The SCT has completed the national tourism master plan and master plans for all regions are also getting ready. “We are also launching new brand images for all these regions. It’s a major, major initiative,’’ Prince Sultan told a press conference at the MTF in Cairo.
The commission’s focus remains domestic tourism for the time being. “We are exporting a lot of tourism every year. Saudis are among the top tourists in the world. We want to chip into the outbound tourism and make Saudis stay and enjoy their country,” he said.
The commission’s efforts have brought considerable success this summer. “A lot more Saudis stayed in the Kingdom and the domestic tourism saw a tremendous increase. There has been a 60 per cent increase in festival activities,” he pointed out.
The SCT was created to organise the industry and make sure it guarantees quality tourism, said Prince Sultan. “At present we do not want to heavily promote the Kingdom to the international tourist. We are not yet ready for it. We are just creating an awareness,” he said.
There are many types of tourist activities in the Kingdom. The country is rich in historical, religious, cultural, adventure, shopping, MICE and health tourism facilities, said Dr Mohammed Al Heezan, director general of communication and media.
The SCT has formalised strategies for each of the regions in the Kingdom, taking into consideration the local characteristics, avoiding duplication and taking care to project the uniqueness of the region, he said. “All elements and obstacles were studied. We analysed in depth how tourism should be in the Kingdom. We are now on a solid foundation to launch a successful industry,” added.