The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) has won the top position for providing most efficient and state-of-the art electronic services. The SCTA won first place in the “Yesser” government electronic transactions index. Dr. Abdul Aziz Bin Muhammad Aal Al-Sheikh, Acting Vice Chairman for Support Affairs at the SCTA, said the competition was with 56 government agencies. With regard to making the services available, the SCTA achieved a total score of 83.19 percent. The SCTA was lauded for providing over 13 services through the Saudi Government Electronic Portal. This includes the issue of tourist visas, travel and tourism agency licenses, event calendars, a tourist telecommunications center and licenses for organizing tourist trips. Aal Al-Sheikh said the body will launch six new electronic services in 2010. This is within the SCTA's plan to convert all its transactions to integrated electronic services. Foremost among these is to gather all the publications of the authority in an electronic library with a comprehensive search engine to give precise results. There are also plans to archive all types of information, including information on scholarship students sent abroad. An opportunity will also be given to event organizers to include their events in the calendar; and to receive the applications of those interested in participating in the heritage hotels project. The “Yesser” index has several criteria in the evaluation of electronic services and applications provided by government agencies. It has five stages for conversion to electronic services: paper procedures; building, development and providing the service, distinctiveness and improvement, and integration stages. The SCTA has won numerous national and international awards and certificates in the applications of electronic transactions. The tourism body was recently appreciated by the Communication and Information Technology Commission for its leading role in the application of electronic transactions.
