PILLARS FOR PROSPERITY Since it was established by Royal decree in 2000, the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) has focused on pushing the Kingdom as a tourism destination. Its main duty is to promote Saudi's economic, social, environmental and cultural values. The tourism body's strategy is based on several pillars: hospitality; archaeology; varied landscape; cultural heritage; a modern infrastructure; geographic location; and safety. To establish a thriving tourism industry, the SCTA created the National Tourism Development Project to meet several objectives within a 20-year timeframe. The project began with a general strat- egy to develop tourism, together with an executive plan and a policy of provincial tourism growth to run alongside each other, all in line with the government's advances towards economic and adminis- trative development. The SCTA is working to a strict timetable in addressing the social and financial challenges within the tourism industry.
Hoping to raise Saudi's profile, the SCTA launched the seasonal Saudi Voyager mag- azine in late 2010 to promote cultural, his- torical and destination highlights and has subsequently published seven issues. The authority also introduced the Saudi Tour- ism Excellence Awards programme, now in its second year, to enhance operational performance and acknowledge industry excellence. Award categories include
ARCHAEOLOGY MEETS THE SCTA'S STRATEGY FOR BOOSTING TOURISM
KING ABDULLAH BIN ABDULAZIZ (CENTRE) RETAINS AN AVID PERSONAL INTEREST IN PRESERVING SAUDI CULTURE AND HERITAGE
Since being established by Royal decree in 2000, the Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities has focused on pushing the Kingdom as a tourism destination
accommodation, shopping and entertain- ment, food and beverage, transportation, the tourism industry, business tourism, people and special recognition. HRH Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, president of the commission, in his address to the Annual Meeting of the SCTA in 2011, told delegates the commission has demonstrated its readiness in the management and development of tourism. He also said that Saudi citizens are widely pushing for tourism development because it is linked to the preservation of national heritage and the development of employment and reiterated that the SCTA is now implementing its plan of restructuring the tourism industry for 2012 to 2014, as part of the National Tourism Development Project.
EXPLORING PROSPECTS As 2012 gets underway, Saudi Arabia can look back on 2011 as a year of growth and look forward to the next 12 months of further expansion, while the region seeks to invest in infrastructure and employment. During 2011, the government unveiled a series of new investment programmes valued at more than US$110 billion, of which US$31 billion was to be spent that year. Part of this additional funding is being channelled into a wide range of infrastructure projects, particularly those aimed at boosting various types of transport and logistics. This will particularly help business travellers and Hajj pilgrims who now account for most inbound traffic to Saudi Arabia, according to the SCTA. Indeed, arrivals in the Kingdom have increased between 11 and 12 percent during the past two years. The growth in numbers
EXPERIENCE A LESSON IN TRADITIONAL DRESS
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