Tourist sites in the Kingdom began preparations to welcome Saudi tourists as a nationwide curfew and restrictions on businesses were lifted on Sunday despite keeping international flights suspended.
The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) announced Saturday four flights per week departing from the capital, Riyadh, to AlUla. The first flight was on Sunday.
Over the next few days, flights from Jeddah and other Saudi cities will be announced, in partnership with Saudi Airlines.
“Visitors can relax and rejuvenate in our cultural oasis ahead of AlUla's heritage sites reopening in October,” the RCU announced on its official Twitter account.
The Kingdom’s Tourism Ministry also announced last week that domestic tourism will resume.
Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed al-Khatib told Al-Arabiya news channel that the ministry is preparing to launch a rich domestic tourism program this summer.
According to Khatib, 80 percent of citizens have an interest in visiting local destinations instead of traveling abroad.
The Ministry will release the program after it is approved by the Health Ministry and relevant top committees, he said.
The Kingdom’s Tourism Authority has launched the “Saudi Summer” campaign to encourage tourism along the Red Sea, from Abha to the Tabuk region.
The Ministry has imposed strict measures to fight the coronavirus outbreak. They include increasing disinfection, social distancing and wearing masks.
Summer programs will not be launched before ensuring that all procedures are adopted in line with the Health Ministry instructions.
Tourists are mainly eying the Kingdom’s southern region for enjoying lower temperatures than other areas.
