ABHA — The Asir Summer 2020 Festival was launched on Monday under the slogan "Marhaban Alf fi Asir" ("A thousand welcome to/in Asir"...have a pleasant vacation, with caution". The Emir of Asir region, Prince Turki Bin Talal, announced on Sunday evening the launch of the Asir 2020 Summer Festival at a walkway in downtown Abha. During the launch, Prince Turki Bin Talal, who is also the chairman of the Tourism Development Council in the region, said: "The Tourism Development Council in the region supervises the working committees made up of members from government and private agencies. The committees have prepared various programs and activities under the motto ‘recreation with caution', keeping in mind precautionary and preventive measures to combat coronavirus." He stressed the need to implement anti-coronavirus measures during the festival. Prince Turki stressed that the accommodation centers, hotels and tourist resorts in the region are all ready to receive visitors, praising the services provided by Al Souda Development Company during the summer season in a number of high-end (options, including royal palaces, and Shaheen and Al-Sahu villas. He announced that four international and local restaurants will be opened at the same location, and reservations are scheduled to start by the end of July. He added that Al Souda Development Company is working on taking advantage of the available facilities in the region, in support of the launch of the Saudi Summer "Breathe" (Tanaffas) events, and to implement the strategy of the Ministry of Tourism, which aims to revitalize the region during the summer. He praised the collaboration of all relevant authorities to provide tourist services to vacationers. The Emir of Asir added: "The bounties of Asir are not confined to agriculture, but to the deep-rooted culture, heritage and traditions of its people that are manifest in their good nature, kindness and hospitality, as well as their warm welcome for the guests of the region, in implementation of the motto "Marhaban Alf fi Asir" (A thousand welcome to/in Asir), spreading love and giving, and bringing a smile on the face of every person in this region." Prince Turki said that the Asir Summer Festival, which lasts for 60 days, includes many events and activities that will be held across the governorates and centers of the region, in which all strict precautionary measures have been applied. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Prince Turki and the attendees watched a fireworks display which lit up the sky of Abha to mark the launch of the Asir Summer 2020 activities.
