Saudi plans Mideast's largest eco tourism park

By Elsa Baxter
  • Wednesday, 7 April 2010 8:52 AM
  • Share via facebook
  • Tweet this
  • Bookmark and Share
ECO-PLAN: The park, located in Hail, will promote desert tourism. (Getty Images)

ECO-PLAN: The park, located in Hail, will promote desert tourism. (Getty Images)

Officials in Saudi’s northern Hail province have announced they plan to build the largest environmental tourism park in the Middle East.

Prince Abdul Aziz bin Saad, deputy governor of Hail, told reporters on Tuesday the project would boost desert tourism and help attract more visitors to the kingdom.

The project, called Musma Park will be located 160km to the west of Hail city, reports Arab News.

Tourism is becoming an important part of the kingdom’s economy as officials try to move away from an oil-reliant economy. Earlier this month officials revealed tourism generated SR70bn ($18.66bn) last year.

Abdullah Bin Sulaiman Al-Jehani, vice president for marketing and media in the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), said this figure accounted for 6.5 percent of the country’s GDP growth.

Meanwhile, the UAE capital Abu Dhabi announced it is looking to develop eco-friendly desert resorts, similar to the popular Al Maha in Dubai, as part of its tourism plans.

Abu Dhabi National Hotels is carrying out feasibility studies into setting up resorts to attract European tourists.

Related:

Stories

Abu Dhabi eyes eco-friendly desert resorts

Topics

GCC tourism prospects for 2010

Also in Travel & Hospitality

Bahrain hotel rates rocket in tourism revival

Rotana says two Dubai hotels to open in Q3

Also in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Aramco pushes on with $7bn Rabigh plan

MidEast growth seen at 3.8% in 2012 on oil price

Join the Discussion

Disclaimer:The view expressed here by our readers are not necessarily shared by Arabian Business, its employees, sponsors or its advertisers.

Please post responsibly. Commenter Rules

Posted by: MM Wednesday, 7 April 2010 10:15 AM[UAE] - United Arab Emirates

Dear Saudi Govt, Are you really serious? I mean come on, its not an April fool's joke, is it? Tourism? When you deny simple Islamic rights for women, when people are discriminated at the airports with poor training officers etc... Seriously, tourism sector is for some serious visionary Governments, not one that is less sighted.

Reply to this comment.

Can't read the image? Click it to get a new one.

All comments are subject to approval before appearingTerms and conditions

Further reading

Get E-Mail Alerts
Features & Analysis

The Real deal: Real Madrid's $1bn RAK venture

The new $1bn Real Madrid Resort Island is Ras Al Khaimah’s biggest...

2

Oman: The land of plenty

From its sandy beaches to its mountain peaks, Oman’s landscape...

4
Abu Dhabi-based Rotana recently launched its first hotel in Erbil, Iraq

Iraq lures US hotel chains banking on business

Hotel operators betting on eventual explosion in travel to war...

Most Popular
Most Discussed
Read all user comments »
  • 38
    Saudi Arabia bans use of Western calendar

    Given that the start of the new month is determined by the moon sighting, isn't this going to make organising meetings for the following month a bit tricky... more

    Thursday, 24 May 2012 1:24 PM - Mark Renton
  • 25
    Nakheel targets 'young and trendy' for Palm project

    Palm Jumeirah = Disneyland. Is this the kind of community to invest in for a home ???? or a hotel ? It baffles me why people would invest in an apartment... more

    Wednesday, 23 May 2012 4:13 PM - Paul
  • 19
    Iran eyes Google legal action over Gulf naming

    Instead of clinging to anything that reminisces you of your obliterated past, why don't you spend sometime fixing your disgraceful and humiliating present... more

    Tuesday, 22 May 2012 9:30 PM - Fahd
  • 15
    UAE officials warn against marrying foreigners

    I often live with embarrassment, with respect to foreign nationals, by being a “crude American.” I want to marry a man in the Islamic world because one... more

    Friday, 25 May 2012 10:20 AM - Rouillie Wilkerson
  • 14
    Developer secures funds for Dubai theme park

    Let's see what will happen and if this project will go ahead. Only time will show. What happens to the other projects? not much is going on? Are investors... more

    Monday, 21 May 2012 11:49 AM - Greg
Read all user comments »
Read all user comments »