Despite the host of dire repercussions it caused, the coronavirus pandemic did positively impact domestic tourism, especially in Saudi Arabia. After a year of lockdowns and quarantines, the Kingdom is steadily reopening stunning attractions to local visitors.
Summer 2021 has seen a substantial rise in tourist turnout for private owners of recreational projects, including rest houses, chalets and closed complexes, domestic tourism workers revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat.
According to the hospitality and tourism workers, the spike in local booking can be traced back to increased immunization rates prompted by the Kingdom’s administering of around 18.1 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine shots.
Moreover, the drive is also motivated by the Tourism Ministry’s goal of tourism accounting for around 10% of the Kingdom’s GDP by 2030.
Saudi Arabia’s “Summer Vibes” program aims to introduce 500 tourist experiences across 11 destinations to Saudi residents this summer in what promises to be a rich and fun experience for all.
The Saudi Tourism Authority has launched its Saudi Summer Program 2021, running from June 24 until the end of September, offering tourist experiences through the Visit Saudi platform alongside 250 private sector partners.
Packages offered by the program start at SAR 200 ($53.3), but prices later depend on the selected experience and destination.
In light of the domestic tourism boom, the number of flight tickets booked to the Kingdom’s airports in Abha, Tabuk and Jeddah is skyrocketing, revealed Sultan Jamil, the branch director of a local travel agency.
Located near the Red Sea, the Asir region, with Abha as its capital, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in southern Saudi Arabia.
Concerning ticket prices, Jamil pointed out that there is an increase during the current season compared to last year’s prices, noting that the economy class prices range from SAR 880 to SAR 1,200.
Hotels are also seeing a large influx of reservations, “to the extent that there are no vacancies left,” said Jamil.
