Despite the host of dire repercussions it caused; the coronavirus pandemic did positively impact domestic tourism; especially in Saudi Arabia. After a year of lockdowns and quarantines; the Kingdom is steadily reopening stunning attractions to local visitors.
Summer 2021 has seen a substantial rise in tourist turnout for private owners of recreational projects; including rest houses; chalets and closed complexes; domestic tourism workers revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat.
According to the hospitality and tourism workers; the spike in local booking can be traced back to increased immunization rates prompted by the Kingdom's administering of around 18.1 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine shots.
Moreover; the drive is also motivated by the Tourism Ministry's goal of tourism accounting for around 10% of the Kingdom's GDP by 2030.
Saudi Arabia's "Summer Vibes" program aims to introduce 500 tourist experiences across 11 destinations to Saudi residents this summer in what promises to be a rich and fun experience for all.
The Saudi Tourism Authority has launched its Saudi Summer Program 2021; running from June 24 until the end of September; offering tourist experiences through the Visit Saudi platform alongside 250 private sector partners.
Packages offered by the program start at SAR 200 ($53.3); but prices later depend on the selected experience and destination.
In light of the domestic tourism boom; the number of flight tickets booked to the Kingdom's airports in Abha; Tabuk and Jeddah is skyrocketing; revealed Sultan Jamil; the branch director of a local travel agency.
Located near the Red Sea; the Asir region; with Abha as its capital; is one of the most popular tourist attractions in southern Saudi Arabia.
Concerning ticket prices; Jamil pointed out that there is an increase during the current season compared to last year's prices; noting that the economy class prices range from SAR 880 to SAR 1;200.
Hotels are also seeing a large influx of reservations; "to the extent that there are no vacancies left;" said Jamil.
