STTIM in Riyadh will present encouraging factors for investment and promising tourism patterns in Saudi Arabia

(eTN) – In less than five weeks, between March 27-31, 2011, the Saudi Travel & Tourism Investment Market (STTIM) will be opened in Riyadh city, the capital of Saudi Arabia.

Most of the stands are already sold, with a few still available for international and local exhibitors. Highly-educated and experienced speakers will gather to present encouraging factors for investment and promising tourism patterns in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The promising tourism patterns in Saudi Arabia offers investors a wide range for their investments in different fields. The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) has developed, identified, and worked on few patterns showing encouraging factors for investment mainly due to the economic and political stability and security over the past 76 years.

As the kingdom has been witness to a huge development phase, there has also been a comprehensive renaissance in the economic, social, educational, cultural, and medical fields – all of which have reflected positively on its citizens and have contributed to reformation of awareness, raised the standard of living and social status, as well as reinforced the ability to cope and adapt to the global developments, advances, and variables. In addition improvements have been made to the extensive area and geographic regions, and the Saudi economy, religion, coastal regions, purchasing power, and population growth has been strengthened.

The patterns of the Saudi economy and tourism are spread over the following sectors:

MICE Tourism
The SCTA has developed a strategic plan for the development and promotion of this important tourism pattern. This is with the aim of promoting this tourism pattern through various events such as commercial, industrial, and art exhibitions, conferences, and forums accompanied by special tourism programs.

Culture and Heritage Tourism
The SCTA has identified thousands of archeological sites in the kingdom. The SCTA is seeking the restoration of these sites in order to attract tourists and introduce them to the history and culture of Saudi Arabia.

Sports Tourism
The SCTA is working in coordination with the General Presidency for Youth Welfare (GPYW) and the private sector on organizing and promoting special tourism programs accompanying the collective or individual sports activities. This is in order to attract the biggest possible number of lovers and fans of the 25 largest sports.

Ecotourism
The SCTA is seeking, in cooperation with its stakeholders on the national and provincial levels, the development and execution of some tourism activities that are related to natural sites (e.g., deserts, mountains, valleys, oases, caves, sands, seas). The ecotourism activities include camping, diving, hiking, desert safaris, and relaxation in general.

Recreational and Festival Tourism
The SCTA is currently supporting various tourism festivals that promote the kingdom’s rich culture and heritage. One of the most famous festivals is the Al-Jenadryah Festival and other provincial and city festivals such as Jeddah, Madinah, Taif, Baha, Abha, Eastern Province, Qaseem, Hail, and others.

Shopping Tourism
The kingdom is offering a great shopping experience to tourists in its large and varied shopping malls and centers. The SCTA is seeing to the implementation of promotional programs aiming to attract local and inbound tourists to experience shopping in Saudi Arabia.

Exploration and Adventure Tourism
The SCTA has supported and organized a number of exploration- and adventure-related activities, such as the speed boats race (Formula 1), paragliding, and sand duning in a number of provinces. The SCTA is planning further activities and events in the coming future.

Health Tourism
The SCTA is working, in cooperation with public and private parties, on implementing marketing programs to attract those seeking health services to benefit from the kingdom’s medical potentials and resources, and the capacity of its local private hospitals.

Training and Education Tourism
The SCTA is seeking the promotion of educational and training tourism to benefit from the capacities and potentials of the kingdom’s universities, colleges, training institutes, and 26 conference and meeting facilities.

Agricultural and Farm Tourism
The SCTA is working on promoting this promising market by developing models of eco-lodge projects in three different natural environments (deserts, coasts, mountains) with great environmental, cultural, and archeological potentials.

Targeted Tourism Markets
The general strategy is to focus on the local tourism market of “Umrah Plus Market” in light of the current facilitations in the Umrah visa laws and procedures and some foreign markets that would enjoy the kingdom’s culture and heritage. Based on the geographical factor, and in addition to the domestic market, the strategy also aims to attract tourists from GCC countries, Arab and Islamic countries, and other foreign countries by providing attractive programs in ecotourism, culture and heritage tourism, nature-based tourism, and shopping tourism.