New Delhi: The promotion of cultural and heritage sites to Indian tourists is a top priority for Saudi tourism authorities as they work to draw millions of Indian tourists in the ensuing years.
According to the Kingdom's Vision 2030 diversification plan, the tourism industry is flourishing. Positioning Saudi Arabia as a vibrant, varied, year-round tourist destination and market that will contribute 10% to the GDP by 2030 is a crucial aspect of the vision.
India has emerged as one of Saudi Arabia's major source markets for travel over the past two years, and the Saudi Tourism Authority anticipates that it will surpass all others in the coming years.
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Since February, the STA has stepped up its marketing initiatives in India with events that highlight the Kingdom's historic sites and cutting-edge initiatives. In order to leverage a sizable sports fanbase for promotion, it also signed a partnership agreement with the Indian Premier League, the most watched T20 cricket league in the world.
According to Alhasan Al-Dabbagh, the STA's chief for Asia Pacific, earlier this week, "Our goal is to connect and build affinity between Indian visitors to Saudi Arabia and Saudi, to increase awareness of the incredible destination and what we have to offer the Indian market."
The agency's initial focus is on tourists visiting cultural and heritage sites, the number of which is rapidly rising as a result of ongoing archaeological excavations and the growth of leisure infrastructure.
"Saudi has a wealth of historical and cultural landmarks. Six UNESCO World Heritage sites are located there, and there are over 10,000 unexplored archaeological sites, according to Al-Dabbagh.
He cited as examples the historic incense route that connected India and the Gulf to the Levant and Europe, the Al-Balad old town in Jeddah, Diriyah, the original residence of the Saudi royal family, and Al-Ula in the nation's northwest.
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Visitors who are "visiting friends and relatives," or VFRs, are the second target demographic. Due to the approximately 2.5 million Indians who reside and work in the Kingdom, the latter accounts for 27% of visits.
"We welcomed 1 million visitors from India last year, and they spent the most money of any of our source markets worldwide thanks to the VFR segment. Our goal for this year is to receive 2 million more visitors, according to Al-Dabbagh.
In the first quarter of this year, we have already welcomed 400,000 Indian visitors, and by 2030, we hope to have welcomed over 12 million.
In order to draw travellers for summer vacations, he added, the number of direct flights from India to Saudi Arabia will rise from the current 243 per week to 290 after Eid Al-Adha.
According to Al-Dabbagh, "The Saudi Tourism Authority has officially launched its seasonal campaign, Rethink Summer, to market the nation as a diverse, distinctive summer travel destination.
There is something for every visitor to enjoy, from the picturesque Taifian mountains to Jeddah's beaches and the Red Sea coast, in addition to a jam-packed entertainment schedule.
Promotional efforts and initiatives to make access easier are already having an impact, as evidenced by the increase in interest in Saudi Arabia among Indians.
"People are becoming aware of the opening of a new destination with easy access, liberal policies, and various branding and marketing aspects," Travel Agents Association of India President Jyoti Maya told Arab News. She claimed that promoting tourism relied heavily on heritage and culture, which would likely appeal to Indians.
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"People will be enticed to explore many more countries with such similar strong ties and traditions if their own country is rich in heritage, culture, and roots. Travelling is always about having new experiences, learning new things, and growing," Maya said.
The promotion of cultural sites by Saudi tourism would undoubtedly increase travel overall.