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Business
Dawn of Japanese Tourism in Saudi Arabia
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Ambassador Turkistani
Tokyo -- PanOrient News ran into Saudi Ambassador Abdulaziz Turkistani at the JATA World Travel Fair this afternoon and had the chance to learn about the Saudi kingdom's initial efforts to bring Japanese tourists to their country.
Saudi Arabia is not known as a major nation for tourism, but Ambassador Turkistani explained that, in a modest fashion, this is beginning to change. In recent years the Kingdom has established a news tourist authority and has begun issuing tourist visas to Japanese nationals.
According to Ambassador Turkistani, about 550 tourist visas were issued to Japanese last year and about 325 so far this year. He notes that he would like to see about 2,000 Japanese tourists next year.
"Saudi Arabia is not only an oil-producing country, but it is also a country where you can enjoy a lot of culture, heritage, and civilization," he noted.
As for the reasons why tourists might wish to visit Saudi Arabia, Ambassador Turkistani pointed out that, in addition to the well-known desert areas, there is also a beautiful coastline along the Red Sea and mountain areas roughly equivalent to Japan's Nikko or Karuizawa.
Sports activities include diving, skiing, and golf.
Finally, Ambassador Turkistani announced that in 2011 Japan will be the honored guest country at the annual Jenadriyah Heritage and Cultural Festival. This festival is the Kingdom's largest, lasting two weeks and reportedly pulling in over a million visitors each year.
PanOrient News
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