Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage

Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH), said the Kingdom will experience a major drive to offer tourism and heritage projects in 2017.

Prince Sultan said at the 5th Forum of Tourist Guides that the national strategy for tourist development remains the pillar of tourist projects.

He said thousands of Saudi citizens helped develop ideas behind the strategy, which materialized in executive programs. The SCTNH then implemented them in collaboration with government agencies, regional governorates and the private sector.

“We are aspiring to have an economic mega-industry, notably after government support,” he said.

He said there was a major drive to speed up and localize tourist projects.

For more than 12 years, the tourism sector has been demanding funding facilities. The government allocated SR2.7 billion ($720 million) including SR300 million for the current year, for tourist projects, he said.

He said the SCTNH will announce four projects during the current month to be funded by the Ministry of Finance, based on recommendations by the SCNTH.

Prince Sultan said he considers tourism to be the next most important element of the national economy, and the second-biggest sector to employ Saudi citizens.