|
2019-09-28 Arabia
|
|
Saudi Arabia to offer tourist visas for first time
|
[Rudaw] Soddy Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
said Friday it will offer tourist visas for the first time, opening up the ultra-conservative kingdom to holidaymakers as part of a push to diversify its economy away from oil.
Kickstarting tourism is one of the centerpieces of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
Continued from Page 3
... Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia as of 2016....
’s Vision 2030 reform program to prepare the biggest Arab economy for a post-oil era.
The announcement comes just two weeks after devastating attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure ‐ blamed by Washington on Iran
 ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan, the abbreviation IRGC is a cognate form of Stürmabteilung (or SA), the term Supreme Guide is a cognate form of either Shah or Führer or maybe both, and they hate Jews Zionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol...
‐ which roiled global energy markets and raised fears of a wider regional conflict.
"Opening Saudi Arabia to international tourists is a historic moment for our country," tourism chief Ahmed al-Khateeb said in a statement.
"Visitors will be surprised... by the treasures we have to share ‐ five UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a vibrant local culture and breathtaking natural beauty."
Saudi Arabia will open applications for online tourist visas to citizens of 49 countries on Saturday, Bloomberg News quoted Khateeb as saying.
Khateeb said the kingdom will also ease its strict dress code for foreign women, allowing them to go without the body-shrouding abaya robe that is still mandatory public wear for Saudi women.
Foreign women, however, will be required to wear "modest clothing", he added, without elaborating.
Visas in the desert kingdom, endowed with rich bedouin heritage and archaeological sites, are currently restricted to expat workers, their dependents and Moslem pilgrims travelling to holy sites in Mecca and Medina.
HARD SELL
In a rare move, Saudi Arabia last year began issuing temporary visas to visitors to attend sporting and cultural events in a bid to kickstart tourism.
But the austere kingdom, which forbids alcohol and has a strict social code, is seen by many as a hard sell for tourists.
Prince Mohammed is seeking to change that through a sweeping liberalisation drive that has brought new cinemas, mixed-gender concerts and sporting extravaganzas to Saudi Arabia.
But no bourbon.
International criticism of the kingdom’s human rights
...which are usually entirely different from personal liberty ...
record, including the gruesome murder last year of critic Jamal Khashoggi and a crackdown on female activists, could further put off foreign visitors, observers say.
Fears of a regional conflict after the September 14 attacks on state oil giant Aramco may also dampen the kingdom’s appeal to holidaymakers.
The government, reeling from low oil prices, says it hopes tourism will contribute up to 10 percent of the gross domestic product by 2030, compared to three percent currently.
It says by 2030 it aims to attract up to 100 million annual visits by both domestic and foreign tourists.
But the kingdom currently lacks the infrastructure to accommodate visitors in such high numbers, with officials estimating 500,000 new hotel rooms will be required nationwide over the coming decade.
The sector is expected to create up to one million tourism jobs, the government says, as it battles high youth unemployment.
Saudi Arabia has splurged billions in an attempt to build a tourism industry from scratch.
In 2017, the kingdom announced a multi-billion dollar project to turn 50 islands and other pristine sites on the Red Sea into luxury resorts.
Last year, construction of Qiddiya "entertainment city" was launched near Riyadh, which would include high-end theme parks, motor sport facilities and a safari area.
The country is also developing historic sites such as the centuries-old Mada’in Saleh, home to sandstone tombs of the same civilization which built the Jordanian city of Petra. 
|
Posted by trailing wife 2019-09-28 00:00||
||
Front Page|| [15 views ]
Top
File under: Govt of Saudi Arabia
|
|
Posted by Uleck Spererong9442 2019-09-28 08:52||
2019-09-28 08:52||
Front Page
Top
|
|
Posted by USN, Ret. 2019-09-28 09:39||
2019-09-28 09:39||
Front Page
Top
|
|
Posted by Tom 2019-09-28 11:48||
2019-09-28 11:48||
Front Page
Top
|
|
Posted by Skidmark 2019-09-28 12:39||
2019-09-28 12:39||
Front Page
Top
|
|
Posted by jpal 2019-09-28 15:29||
2019-09-28 15:29||
Front Page
Top
|
|
Posted by Grutch Cheting3238 2019-09-28 16:21||
2019-09-28 16:21||
Front Page
Top
|
|
14:27 Jefe101
14:25 Airandee
14:24 Airandee
14:13 swksvolFF
14:13 M. Murcek
13:58 Glenmore
13:56 Glenmore
13:53 M. Murcek
13:49 Glenmore
13:45 trailing wife
13:44 Abu Uluque
13:40 M. Murcek
13:36 DarthVader
13:30 Abu Uluque
13:23 M. Murcek
13:21 M. Murcek
13:20 SteveS
13:20 Raj
13:19 badanov
13:19 NoMoreBS
13:14 Bobby
13:12 EMS Artifact
12:52 trailing wife
12:51 Grom the Reflective
|
