Facilitating travel procedures, especially for Arab tourists, is one of the most important steps to be taken to enhance the tourism sector in the Kingdom and the Middle East, Dr. Taleb Al-Refaie, General Secretary of the World Tourism Organization said during a visit to the Kingdom on Tuesday. Al-Refaie met with Mohammed Abdullah Al-Amri, Executive Manager of the Tourism Development Department at the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) Makkah branch, and Dr. Bandar Bin Fahd Al-Fuhaid, Chairman of the National Committee of the Council of Tourism Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and chairman of the Arab Tourism Organization to discuss the latest developments in the tourism industry in the Kingdom and the Middle East. Although the world financial crisis has had a negative impact on tourism in European countries, the Middle East has been relatively unaffected. “The level of tourism in Arab countries is relatively low, but this is because of the procedures and restrictions on travel imposed by Arab governments which makes travel in this part of the world more difficult,” Al-Refaie explained. “In fact the world financial crisis may actually be of benefit to Arab countries as far as tourism is concerned. Tourism in Arab countries tends to be less expensive than elsewhere, and with tourists affected by the financial crisis wanting to save money, they may prefer to visit Arab countries,” he added. Swine flu will not play a major role in reducing the tourism rate around the world. In the recent past, we were faced by bird flu, but we overcame it, said Al-Refaie. “The World Health Organization has said that curtailing international travel is not a solution to the spread of the virus,” he said. “It is up to each country to take the appropriate measures at its different ports of entry,” he added. According to Al-Refaie, tourism can be defined as a short visit for the purpose of relaxation, medical treatment, study, etc., and there is no need for the complicated entry procedures that many Arab countries are using. “It is very important to use the latest techniques in the tourism sector, which will make travel faster and easier, in addition to increasing the opportunity for people to invest in Arab countries,” said Al-Refaie. He pointed out that his organization did not issue travel visas, but rather that it attempted to encourage countries to facilitate travel procedures. Al-Refaie commended the efforts of Prince Sultan Bin Salman, President of the SCTA, in changing the concept of tourism in the Kingdom, developing infrastructure, and encouraging domestic tourism. He welcomed the cooperative work between training institutions in the Kingdom and the World Tourism Organization with the aim of producing a large number of young Saudis who are qualified to work in the tourism sector.
