A contract to construct the SR36 million Souq Okaz (Okaz Market) was signed by Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, the Emir of Makkah, in Taif on Tuesday. Prince Khaled also chaired Tuesday a meeting of the Tourism Development Council in Taif attended by Prince Sultan Bin Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA). Prince Khaled said that all obstacles should be removed that hamper tourism development projects in the summer resort, including the project to develop the historic market of Okaz. The market was a gathering place for all the poets in the Arabian Peninsula during the pre-Islamic era. The poets would gather on market days and recite their poems and also judge the poetry of others. During his visit, Prince Khaled also laid the foundation stone of the Tourist and Hotels College in Taif, constructed at a total cost of SR70 million. The college is equipped with SR30 million recreational facilities and a five–star hotel. Meanwhile, Prince Sultan said more tourist projects would be carried out in Taif including construction of a road linking Taif and the Okaz Market to the airport, at a cost of SR60 million. Commenting on the construction of rest houses on expressways, the SCTA chief said the Council of Ministers is currently studying this project. He said the commission cannot carry out tourism projects in the Kingdom except with the blessings of citizens. So far the commission has more than 70 joint projects with the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs. In Taif, the commission has more than 12 tourist projects under way including a project for the development of the historic area at a cost of SR120 million. Prince Sultan denied allegations that the Kingdom has been exploiting the Two Holy Mosques for economic gain. He said the Kingdom has been spending tens of billions on the development and expansion of the Two Holy Mosques, to enable the Guests of Allah to perform their rituals in ease and comfort. He said Allah has bestowed on the Kingdom the honor of serving the Two Holy Mosques and the country will never exploit this honor for earthly gains. He said the commission's role is to restore the Islamic sites to enable Muslims to see Islamic history.
