SAUDI ARABIA-TOURISM EXHIBITION Travel exhibitors eye growing Saudi tourism market

Record ID: 189595

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA-TOURISM EXHIBITION Travel exhibitors eye growing Saudi tourism market
  • Date: 5th February 2015
  • Summary: JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA (FEBRUARY 4, 2015) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF JEDDAH HILTON WITH FLAGS OF PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES SAUDI AND SPAIN FLAGS VISITORS AT JEDDAH INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM EXHIBITION SAUDI TOURISM SECTION BANNER READING (Arabic) "SAUDI TOURISM" EXHIBIT OF SAUDI CITY OF TAIF PICTURES OF LATE SAUDI KING ABDULLAH OPENING THE KING FAISAL GARDEN IN TAIF VARIOUS OF UNITED ARAB EMIRATES SECTION UAE FLAG DISPLAYED ON BOARD STAFF AT DESK OF SAUDI NATIONAL AIRLINES FLY NAS PLANE MODEL ON DISPLAY DISPLAY SHOWING PHOTOGRAPHS OF TOURIST SITES IN TUNISIA (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) REPRESENTATIVE OF TUNISIAN TOURISM IN SAUDI ARABIA, SALAH BIN DAKHIL, SAYING: "Gulf tourists in general are currently the target in all tourist destinations in the world because the Arab and Gulf tourists travel most often in the world -- and both in terms of the length of stay and spending." VIDEO CLIP PROMOTION FOR SRI LANKAN TOURISM POSTER FOR SRI LANKAN AIRLINES ANOTHER POSTER READING (English): "REFRESHINGLY SRI LANKA" POSTER SHOWING RESORTS IN TURKEY VARIOUS OF TURKISH TOURIST COMPANY OFFICIAL TALKING TO SAUDI VISITOR (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MAYOR OF SAUDI CITY OF TAIF, MOHAMMAD AL-MEKHRIJ, SAYING: "What you see now of what is happening (war in other Arab countries), thank God, confirms the strength of this economy (sector). You see things and you hear things but thank God Saudi Arabia is a workshop for many projects. We live in a boom which indicates that this economy is very strong." VARIOUS OF VISITORS AT THE EXHIBITION (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) VISITOR, NAJAH ABDULLAH, SAYING: "As you know, the situation in other countries and the crisis in the Arab world ... so I would expect that most tourists are interested in domestic tourism, I can see in the exhibition some local tourist offices and tourist activities this year encouraging domestic tourism." VISITORS AT EXHIBITION
  • Embargoed: 20th February 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Saudi Arabia
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA2P949EXWYZI4MI67ONQHYYH4A
  • Story Text: Around 150 travel companies are taking part in the Jeddah International Travel and Tourism Exhibition.
    The three-day event opened on Wednesday (February 4).
    Nearly half the exhibitors are from 13 foreign countries, looking to attract not just the Saudis, but also tourists from the Gulf region to their countries.
    "Gulf tourists in general are currently the target in all tourist destinations in the world because the Arab and Gulf tourists travel most often in the world -- and both in terms of the length of stay and spending," said Salah bin Dakhil, a representative of Tunisian Tourism.
    Organisers said the Saudi tourism market was among the fastest growing in the region, with a 14 percent growth in the industry in 2013.
    Saudi Arabia's water park resort of Taif has become a popular destination for Gulf tourists.
    The city's mayor said Saudi Arabia will continue to bring in tourists even as the region is engulfed in conflict.
    "What you see now of what is happening (war in other Arab countries), thank God, confirms the strength of this economy (sector). You see things and you hear things but thank God Saudi Arabia is a workshop for many projects. We live in a boom which indicates that this economy is very strong," said Mohammad al-Mekhrij, mayor of Taif.
    Visitor Najah Abdullah said the conflict in the Middle East region had put Saudi domestic tourism under greater spotlight at the fair.
    This year, nearly half the exhibitors are from within the country.
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