SCT To Publish Guide For Domestic Tourists

RIYADH, 14 May 2005 — The Supreme Commission for Tourism (SCT) has finalized plans to publish a comprehensive tourism services guide. It will contain detailed information and advertisements about travel and tourism companies operating in the country together with attractions and facilities available for tourists in all 13 provinces of the Kingdom.

“The move to publish a tourism guide will help promote domestic tourism. This will provide necessary information to local and foreign tourists as well as businessmen,” said Dr. Mohammed ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Hezan, a senior SCT official.

The tourism guide will be published by the National Center for Tourism Information and Research (MAS), an SCT affiliate. MAS acts as the clearing house for the exchange of tourism information in Saudi Arabia and is creating a comprehensive information data base. It is tasked to produce quarterly tourism monitors, a tourism statistics report and the directory of tourism services.

MAS has already produced a series of reports about the 13 Saudi provinces by compiling information obtained from the government, business and tourism entities.

Saudi Arabia is rich with archeological and historical sites, dating back to a million years. These include sites from pre-historic times, the times of the prophets, pre-Islamic period and the Islamic period. There are also hundreds of sites related to the history of the Saudi Kingdom as well as heritage sites mentioned in ancient Arabic poetry.

The SCT official said the tourism services guide will list hotels, furnished apartments, compounds and travel and tourism agencies in all regions of the country. It will also include detailed information about Umrah and Haj operators, spas, fun fairs, museums, zoos, shopping malls, conference and meetings centers, hospitals, restaurants, sports clubs, airline offices, car rentals, bus and train stations and banks and financial institutions.

The guide will have names and telephone numbers of the service providers including their geographical locations and websites.

MAS has also called on all travel and tourism companies interested in enlisting themselves and advertising in the guide to contact 01-2193020 or fax 01-2193010. They can also send e-mail to usama @ umssa.com

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