four new tourism projects are in pipeline in Asir Region. These projects are to be launched in the middle of next year, Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin Abdul Aziz, Emir of Asir, said here Friday. Addressing a meeting of the Regional Tourism Development Council, the Emir urged businessmen and investors to invest in tourism projects, which, he stressed, has “huge business potential in the region.” The meeting was also attended by Prince Sultan Bin Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, Secretary General of the General Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (GCTA). GCTA will carry out the projects in collaboration with ministries of municipal and rural affairs and agriculture and would give a big fillip to the tourism industry. The GCTA chief said these projects would redraw the tourism map in the region. He said these multibillion projects and other several projects focusing on heritage buildings, travel and tourism, antiquities and museums would enable the region occupy a prominent place on the tourism map regionally and internationally. Prince Sultan also emphasized the importance of the tourism industry in diversification of the national income resources in the Kingdom. He said citizens in the region would extensively benefit from the industry. Development of new tourist sites including Al-Ghma site and the Shopping City and tourist resort on Al-Souda Road and the Youth Town in Al-Habla are the important projects in the new scheme. Prince Sultan said in cooperation with the Asir Governorate the mayoralty in Asir will invite bidders to carry out four centers on the administrative borders of Asir with Makakh Region, Riyadh, Jizan and Najran. Also, it will invite bids for the construction of Prince Sultan Park and other four parks in Gara and Al-Yazed which would serve as cultural and tourist edifice in the region.
