RIYADH, 1 May 2006 -- Prince Sultan ibn Salman, secretary-general of the Supreme Commission for Tourism (SCT), has launched an innovative idea for raising funds for a charitable cause.
He will act as a tourist guide for those wishing to see the tourist spots by air and donate funds collected from tourists to charities.
"Prince Sultan has already filled in the first application. He will go through all the tests to qualify himself as the first tourist guide," Majed A. Al-Sheddi, director general, Media & PR Department, Supreme Commission for Tourism, told Arab News.
He was speaking on the occasion of SCT's participation in Dubai's 14th Arabian Travel Market (ATM) which will take place at Dubai's World Trade Center from May 2-5. Up to 60 countries are expected to participate in the travel mart showcasing the tourist attractions of the participating countries.
Referring to Prince Sultan's initiative, Al-Sheddi said that the prince, a licensed pilot, has said that he enjoys taking people by air to let them soak up the beauty of the country from the skies.
The SCT official described the prince as a multifaceted personality. Besides being a pilot, he is also a diver and the first Arab and Muslim astronaut. He flew in the Space Shuttle Discovery's June 1985 flight, which launched a satellite designed to improve communications among Arab countries.
Prince Sultan, who represents the Kingdom at the Arabian Travel Market, will attend the event, which is being held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed ibn Rashed Al-Maktoum, UAE's prime minister. At the ATM, the Kingdom will launch several new initiatives to promote Saudi tourism by offering tourism products and packages reflecting the broad spectrum of the Kingdom's cultural and scenic attractions and investment opportunities.
The Kingdom's pavilion, which will highlight a range of attractions from tourism to business opportunities as well as the scope for public- and private-sector participation, covers 440 square meters. Last years, SCT's participation netted deals worth SR200 million.
The SCT has stepped up its tourism promotion drive, with the number of summer festivals last year up by 67 percent to reach a total of 22 festivals, as against 12 festivals the year before. The total number of domestic flights in 2005 was 33.8 million trips and 207.5 tourism nights, while the total revenue earned stood at SR34.6 billion. The Kingdom's inbound tourism totaled 7.9 million trips and 99.3 tourism nights involving a revenue of SR21.3 billion.
By Javid Hassan
© Arab News 2006
