Tourism & Hospitality | Sunday 21 June, 2015 9:24 am |

The local tourism market in the Kingdom has started to witness competition between local and international companies involved in tourism investment.
Some tourism companies have begun to create new programs based on scheduled visits to archaeological sites that have a religious character, along with land and sea trips with certified guides and high quality services.

Other companies have attempted to integrate entertainment, shopping and business through the establishment of commercial complexes that contain hotels, spas, meeting halls and entertainment facilities.

Mohammed Ramzan, travel and tourism manager at ‪a tourism company, said: “The company seeks to let visitors experience traditional tourism, as we offer religious trips to mosques, Hira cave and heritage places in Makkah and Madinah, for families and individuals. Service quality and program diversity are the most important challenges of domestic tourism.”

Mohammed Asiri, marketing director at Red Sea Mall, said that the shopping experience has extended to social development and entertainment, as the design of shopping centers with meeting halls and hotels facilitates combining business, entertainment and shopping.
“During the last year, we received the tourism excellence award as the best shopping experience in the Kingdom, through presenting more than 62 local and international events for social responsibility, to play an active role in tourism, in addition to providing areas allocated for children.”

Muhammad Alawi, CEO of Red Sea Mall, said: “The commercial complexes are an important part of the tourism industry, a key element in the least-tax states, and a comparative advantage to attract tourists. The concept of tourism depends on offering a rich and distinctive experience which includes offering shopping, marine and heritage activities to find new and different experiences.”

“There are millions who are leaving their countries every year, in order to search for new experiences. The provision of tourism opportunities in the Kingdom to activate religious tourism and attract tourists from Gulf and Arab countries is the right approach and the perfect replacement.”
He said the deficiencies in services around heritage and aesthetic areas, and limited transport are significant factors that weaken local tourism, calling for a radical change, along with tourism investment development, including welcoming foreign tourists to enjoy experiencing our religious and cultural identity, and develop the resources and income of the Kingdom.