JEDDAH – A Saudi tourism commission has launched an initiative to make Saudi Arabia the preferred destination for Muslim tourists from all around the world.
“The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) is building a productive private/public sector partnership (PPP) initiative that will transform the national tourism sector and contribute significantly to Saudi Vision 2030,” SCTH spokesman Saud Al-Mogbil told Arab News.
The new “Destination for Muslims” initiative includes linking up with key partners such as the ministries of interior, foreign affairs, Hajj and Umrah, and the Saudi Arabian Airlines.
“SCTH President Prince Sultan bin Salman is the mastermind of this initiative, whose program stems from the Saudi Vision 2030, the transformation plan which has identified tourism as one of the strategic sectors with the most potential to deliver lasting economic benefits and positive social changes in a post-oil economy,” Al–Mogbil said.
The initiative will allow Umrah pilgrims to enjoy high-quality tourism products after concluding their religious rituals.
Along with umrah pilgrims, it targets Muslim businesspeople, state guests from other Muslim countries, and Muslim transit passengers.
“Its success, however, is closely related to several other areas of focus by the SCTH such as exhibitions and conferences, cultural heritage and wellness tourism,” he said.
Al-Mogbil added: “To cater for such a broad range of activities, SCTH is engaged in an ambitious development program of infrastructure and training to create a tourism environment that can deliver these tourism experiences.”
The Grand Mosque of Makkah aka Makkah Haram is the largest mosque in the World. Its holiness is derived from surrounding the Kaaba which is Islam’s Qiblah.
One of the Five Pillars of Islam requires every abled Muslim to perform the Ḥajj aka pilgrimage to Kaaba at least once in their lifetime.
Beside Zamzam Water Well, the Grand Mosque includes several important significant sites, including the Black Stone, Station of Abraham, as well as Safa and Marwa.
The Grand Mosque is always open, regardless of date or time. It has gone under many major renovations by various prophets and rulers throughout the centuries.