Te tombs of Al Hijr at Mada’in
Saleh are the main remnants of the second-largest Nabatean settlement after Petra in Jordan and date from the first century CE
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A KINGDOM OF CONTRASTS Saudi Arabia is a vast country spanning desert,
archaeological and heritage sites, holy cities and modern business hubs, all of which provide a compelling proposition for meeting planners, the kingdom’s government has recognised. Some of the kingdom’s tourism highlights include:
• UNESCO-listed World Heritage Sites such as the Al Hijr archaeological site at Mada’in Saleh
and the historic site at Al Dir’iya oasis
• Historic Jeddah or Downtown Jeddah dates back to the era before Islam and features many
monuments and heritage buildings
• Te village of Qaryat, previously called Al Faw, located 700 kilometres south of
Riyadh features one of the most important archaeological sites on the Arabian Peninsula – a vivid example of a historic Arab city
• A raft of museums including the Museum of the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah
• Al Makkah Al Mukarramah, with its luxury hotels and retail precincts located close to the shrine
• Riyadh with the King Abdulaziz Historical Centre (the National Museum); malls and
souks; camel markets and race tracks, plus the Al Mamlaka tower where the highest mosque in the world is located on the 77th
floor
• Athreb Mountain, 2,220 metres above sea level is one of highest peaks in the Asir region
boasting mesmerising scenery, serenity, good weather and great-tasting honey
top priority for consideration with a view to developing a conference visa based on an event invitation, rather than relying on a local sponsor. In recent years, the government has
ramped up its interest in the meetings and events sector with the SCTA commissioning studies to evaluate its potential economic contribution and to set out guidelines as to how this can be achieved. The World Bank Prospects for Meetings
Industry Growth in Saudi Arabia report, released in February 2013 and based on an economic study of major convention and exhibition centres in the kingdom, finds every riyal spent by an exhibitor at an exhibition in Saudi Arabia generates around US$127 (SAR475) as an increase on sales per year. In addition, every event requires more than 100 employees. “This motivates the national economy due
to the increase on production output and supply in the kingdom,” the report states. The study makes a compelling case for investing in meetings and events
infrastructure, marketing and policy and supports some of the recommendations made in The Development of the MICE industry in Saudi Arabia report released by UK-based Kennedy Integrated Solutions in January 2012. Above all, the latter study once again
calls for the event licensing system to be reviewed, labelling this the single largest obstacle in the development of Saudi Arabia’s meetings and events industry and secondly, recommends the formation of a Saudi Arabian convention bureau as a “catalyst for change”. The suggestions have not fallen on
deaf ears and last year, the Saudi Council of Ministers issued a national decree forming the Saudi Exhibition & Convention Bureau (SECB), charged with the task of “developing and organising the Saudi convention and exhibition sector, as well as work to enhance the sector’s effectiveness within the country’s economy”. Objectives include the all-important
1 Al Hijr, Mada’in Saleh 2 Te Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh
implementation of efficient and transparent licensing processes; the collection and analysis of sector-related data; the classification and enhancement of current and future event venues;
the development of event organisers through training and certification programmes; the implementation of marketing strategies; plus the improved Saudiasation of the industry through university programmes and initiatives promoting greater awareness of the sector. “Our main goal is to develop a
competent Saudi meetings industry to create and host events of regional and international scale by improving the regulatory environment in the country, the quality of meetings-related infrastructure and the professional skills’ set of employees in this field,” says Jehani. “The SECB’s strategy will also focus on
creating exhibitions and conventions that meet the specific needs of Saudi Arabia’s economic expansion and diversification targets,” Jehani explains. “We aim to build and strengthen
our relations with international associations so we can attract more global events to Saudi Arabia,” he adds. This strategy will be executed alongside
substantial real estate investment, giving rise to a portfolio of world-class venues and hotels built to cater to increased demands from the sector.
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