Al-Mohaimeed Al-Jazirah AMERICAN writer Ben Hubbard gives his picture of Saudi tourism in a long report published by the New York Times in these few words: "Untrammeled beaches, ancient sites and unfiltered local culture are all on offer in Saudi Arabia. Just don't expect an easy trip." Hubbard, who visited the marvelous Farasan Islands in the southern Jazan region, considered his trip as "my first lesson in what it means to travel in a country full of potential tourist sites that the government is ambivalent about letting foreigners see." He indicated that many other countries in the region like Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates have invested to make tourism pillars of their economies while Saudi Arabia stands apart for a good reason. "The country's identity revolves around being the birthplace of Islam and home to its holiest sites. Part of that heritage is adherence to a strict creed by which shops close throughout the day for prayer, women wear head-to-toe black gowns and are barred from driving or from socializing with unrelated men," Hubbard wrote. All these things, according to the writer, keeps Saudi Arabia off the list of countries where most Westerners — and even many Saudis — want to spend spring break. Keeping foreigners aloof from the Kingdom means losing an opportunity to untap the country's tourism potentials and blocking tourism development, which is a significant area for income diversification. As oil prices continue to fall we need new income sources. It is true that our huge oil reserves have helped us strengthen our country's progress and prosperity. It is equally true that the vast wealth of historical sites and antiquities, which we are blessed with, will definitely attract a large number of visitors to the Kingdom with tourism becoming a major contributor to the national economy. Tourism will not deplete like oil and will provide more job opportunities to young Saudi men and women, much more than what oil has done in the past decades. We, and even some foreigners, understand the difficulty in overcoming certain customs and traditions. But we have to exploit this important economic resource in an acceptable way without clashing with our culture and traditions. At the same time we should not waste more time standing hesitantly in the way of exploiting this vital sector, fearing the power of a certain group in the society. This group has played a major role in hampering the Kingdom's progress from the first Five-Year Development Plan as they were afraid of everything new. If the state succumbs to the fear and hesitation of this group the Kingdom would remain a captive of ignorance and backwardness and its economy will be based on agriculture and rearing animals. We expect bold decisions from the government to boost the Kingdom's overall development. The decision-makers should focus on the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage to complete its projects as an effective agency capable of strengthening national coffers and balance its budget, without the need for withdrawing from reserves and taking loans from banks and other financial institutions.
