38 MEETINGS STTIM
National Industries Exhibition will showcase the Kingdom's heritage and history through various handcrafted oriels, scuttles, doors and carpentry. Farming and harvesting equipment, textiles and stone work will also be on display.
Other attractions during this year's STTIM include folklore performances, fine arts and photography displays, and a Bedouin camp exhibition that charts how nomadic people in the Kingdom have lived.
The programme for the 2010 STTIM show covered several themes and issues related to Saudi Arabia's tourism sector. Topics covered in various seminars and workshops during the opening two days of the five-day event included job opportunities and improving em- ployment prospects, industry qualifications, tourism operators' role in boosting traveller numbers throughout the region, domestic tourism programmes and financing small businesses involved in the sector. Key speakers participating in the event included Dr Abdul Wahid Al Hameed, Saudi's Deputy Minister of Labour; Ibrahim Al Rashid,
member of the National Tourism Committee at the Council of Chamber; and Professor Saeed Al Saeed, dean of the tourism and antiquities college for King Saud University. Speakers for this year's event were uncon- firmed at the time of writing, but an equally impressive line-up is expected.
Business deals
Away from the seminars and workshops, ST- TIM has proved an ideal platform for making new contacts and generating business. Some US$13.3 million worth of deals were agreed during the 2010 show, most of which involved leisure projects. Tour organisers, accommo- dation providers and marketers also shook hands on various transactions throughout the five-day event.
Saudi tourism
With the Kingdom boasting a vibrant econo- my and political stability, some economists believe the growth potential for its tourism sector is huge. Statistics compiled by the SCTA show that the country attracted more
than 13.3 million and 13.7 million business and hajj tourists in 2009 and 2010 respec- tively, with the figure expected to increase to 14.5 million for 2011.
The leisure segment accounts for the largest number of domestic tourists (48 per- cent), while the Kingdom's economic growth is attracting a large number of business travellers. With more corporate arrivals in Saudi Arabia, the SCTA expects the country's meeting and conventions industry to thrive in the coming years.
Elsewhere, heritage tourism is another substantial market for Saudi Arabia as travel- lers visit various destinations to learn more about the Kingdom's culture and history. Other strong segments include explora- tion and adventure for travellers that enjoy hich-octane pursuits like paragliding and speed boat racing, eco-tourists looking to explore popular camping, hiking and desert safari sites, and wellness. The latter relates to medical and wellness tourists travelling around the Kingdom for various treatments and comestic procedures.
In 2009, there were 43,805 million tour- ist trips, which represents a 230 percent increase compared to 1995. The sector accounted for 9.1 percent of Saudi's non-oil GDP in 2009, with experts forecasting a bigger contribution for 2010. Elsewhere, demand for hotels from domestic and inter- national travellers has grown considerably
saudiarabia 2011
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