The “5th Forum & Exhibition for Tourism & Real Estate Development” scheduled in Madina will shed light on the key role of tourism in becoming an important new source for enhancing the national economy by contributing positively to the national income as a result of traveling, transportation, accommodation, and other services that tourists might need. Knowledge Economic City (KEC) is a gold sponsor of the Forum slated on May 19- 21, 2009. Under the patronage of Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Majed, Emir of Madina, the three-day event will highlight the massive development projects in the holy city, which makes it a favorable investment haven that offers excellent opportunities. Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Majed is also expected to grace the event for the opening. Commenting on the slated Forum, Tahir Bawazir, CEO of Knowledge Economic City (KEC) in Madina, said the “conference emphasized the importance of the pivotal role that could be played by tourism and real estate infrastructure development in further advancing national economic growth and enhancing the per capital income. By developing the tourism sector, a new channel for national income can be created with the support of private sector's investment in various tourism projects and programs,” he added. He said, KEC, the gold sponsor of the forum, gives its support to such gathering because it does not only strengthen the communication channels between and among stakeholders, but also encourages wider use of resources to hasten the pace of progress. Bawazir noted that the KEC project has already attracted many reputed international partners, echoing what was said in the past that KEC is an exceptional project that has unique attributes and will surely become a symbol of Saudi pride and an icon of successful diversification of local economy with the development of knowledge-based industries. Moreover, the CEO of KEC said the forum is a good opportunity that will again put Madina in the spotlight as a promising hub for international tourism, whose speed of real estate development catches wider attention. “The current momentum in the Kingdom's economic development augurs well for the country's hospitality sector, with the number of visitors expected to rise dramatically, which in return, boosts employment in the industry as well,” he said. Bawazir added that the forum also provides impetus to more investment in the hotel business, making the sector one of the biggest growth areas in the Kingdom.
