Tourism & Hospitality | Saturday 27 June, 2015 7:49 am |

The Kingdom is witnessing a healthy competition in the field of tourism, with local and international firms trying to make a mark in the market with different types of offers.
Some 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 firms have attempted to integrate entertainment, shopping and business through the establishment of commercial complexes that contain hotels, spas, meeting halls and entertainment facilities.
Muhammad Ramadhan, travel and tourism manager at ‪a firm, said: “The company seeks to let visitors experience traditional tourism, as we offer religious trips to mosques, the 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.”

Muhammad Assiri, 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.
“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, thereby playing an active role in tourism, in addition to providing areas allocated for children.”
Muhammad Alawi, CEO of Red Sea Mall, said: “Commercial complexes are an important part of the tourism industry 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.”

“Millions of tourists leave their countries every year 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. Alawi said the deficiencies in services around heritage and aesthetic areas, and limited transport options are significant factors that weaken local tourism, calling for a radical change, along with tourism investment development.