Hello World! Welcome Friends! Saudi Arabia has plans to transform the Red Sea Coastline and not only into a tourism destination for both pilgrims and non-religious tourists. They have decided to make this step because they want to reduce their economy’s reliance on oil. At the present moment, Makkah and Madina form a vital component of the non-oil economy of the country. Every year pilgrims visit these destinations and the fees they pay for transport, food and accommodation constitute a great part of the revenue of Saudi Arabia.
Nowadays the tourism industry relies only on pilgrims visiting the holy shrines, but if the project will be successful, travelers will have more reasons to visit Saudi Arabia. The plan is focused on the economic benefits the country will have, but many people continue to ask themselves if it will be successful considering the restrictions of the kingdom. However, Saudi Arabia proved that it is ready to make changes when it comes to the restrictions referred to foreign tourists. Authorities have started to check for ways on how to relax the rules on entertainment and they want by 2030 the legislation to facilitate tourism. They are planning to organize film screening, dance shows and concerts to draw people over.
An effective idea, Saudi Arabia has thoroughly taken into consideration, is to separate the areas designed for tourists from the ones for the locals.
The number of tourists is on the rise
Every year the number of persons who take part in the Hajj is growing and it is expected to record a significant increase in the following period. Of the persons who took part in the Hajj the last year, only around 2 million came from outside of the kingdom. The rise in number is the result of the easing of strict rules that have been adopted during the last years. The quota system is the one that decides who is allowed to take part to the pilgrimage, and starting with 2017 the quota has started to grow to allow people from outside the country to take part in the event. The main goal of the change of the rules is to support the work for the expansion of the Grand Mosque. Funds are required and the best way to save money is to facilitate the access to pilgrimages. It is expected in the future the government to lower the restrictions on the quota and to allow more worshipers to visit Makkah.
Umrah visas
People have the opportunity to undertake Umrah pilgrimage at any time of the year. Millions of pilgrims travel to Saudi Arabia every year for this occasion, even if it is not considered one of the obligatory pillars of the religion. The government is looking for new ways to grow the number of pilgrims who are undertaking Umrah, and with the help of the Vision 2030 plan, they want to increase the number of visitors to 15 million by 2020 and 30 million by 2030. As a strategy to attract more pilgrims the kingdom has in plan to undertake expansion works in Madina and Makkah and to make notable infrastructure upgrades. These upgrades include the construction of the Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport and the Haramain High-Speed Rail.
Because the main purpose of the plan is to increase the revenue, the kingdom is collecting form the tourism industry, the government has started to introduce visa fees. First-pilgrims benefit of free visa, but all their subsequent visits will occur only if they pay a certain fee. Because faith is one of the most important aspects in Muslims’ lives it is expected the introduction of visa fees not to deter them. The project also includes the introduction of Umrah Plus visas that allow pilgrims to visit other non-historical points of interest across the kingdom. The standard visa allows them to enter only Madina and Makkah. The effort is made because Saudi Arabia wants to increase the role of tourism in the economy of the country.
Saudi Arabia offers luxury accommodation solutions
Some would have the misconception that a country that did not put high stress on tourism until recently will not excel at accommodation. They would be wrong to make this assumption, because Saudi Arabia has some of the most luxurious accommodations solutions on the market. The accommodation solutions in Riyadh, Madina and Makkah are offering travelers an exquisite experience. The accommodation facilities are a mix of modernity, culture and tradition and they are located in the centre of urban centers. When entering a hotel in Saudi Arabia tourists have the impression they are stepping into a tale world, a quiet refuge where they can find their peace and start a journey that elevates their soul. The kingdom has extensively invested in the hospitality system because they plan to impress their visitors from the first steps they will have in Saudi Arabia. They are aware that accommodation has the power to influence the quality of the trip and they count on the fact that their hospitality system has very few competitors in the world.
Infrastructure upgrades
A great number of tourists are expected to visit Saudi Arabia, the current infrastructure capacity needs upgrades in order to cope with the future needs of the traffic. The project Vision 2030 will succeed only if the transportation system is upgraded and the hospitality system is modified to meet the request of visitors. The kingdom focuses on constructing roads that reduce the travel time between major points of interest. In addition, they want to increase the transport capacity of passengers, because they are aware that by 2030 only the railway system will have to transport more than 60 million persons annually.
The construction of multiple small airports are in plan by 2035 and a new Makkah metro is part of the Makkah Public Transport Programme. This project will be completed in multiple phases and the first stage is expected to be finished by 2020 when two lines that will connect 22 stations will be completed. The goal of the project is to connect 88 stations through four lines.
Saudi Arabia is a unique destination in the world and for the government to succeed in their intentions is simple; they only have to promote it properly.
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