All expectations exceed as visitors reach more than 9 million TAIF: During the past week, domestic tourism reached record figures, which were unexpected by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, as occupancy in hotels and residential units in Makkah, Madina and several domestic tourism regions reached 100 percent, sources told Okaz/Saudi Gazette. “The response to domestic tourism during the current month exceeded all expectations and what was achieved was the highest due to religious tourism,” a source said. The number of visitors during the past vacation season exceeded 9 million people, primarily in the regions of Makkah and Madina, followed by the Eastern Province, the source said. Some furnished apartments and residential units posted signs saying they were full and apologizing to their customers for the lack of rooms, which is occurring in the Kingdom for the first time, the sources stressed. Muhammad Qari, representative of tourism in Taif, said, “The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities laid out the necessary plans and arrangements in coordination with the related authorities and businessmen and thought a lot about tourism projects required in the coming stage.” He said the SCTA has a number of tourist programs that are being executed in several regions, with the aim of achieving the citizens' aspirations. All the while, the numbers of tourists from GCC countries are increasing considerably, he added. Shaker Bahizam, a businessman and investor in housing units, said occupancy in residential units has reached 100 percent in an exceptional season for domestic tourism. He attributed this to a number of external reasons including the turmoil and crises in several Arab countries, which has reduced tourism outside the Kingdom. Bahizam also considers short vacations to be a big push for domestic tourism; a big percentage of tourists prefer to spend in the Kingdom unlike long vacations, which the majority prefer to spend abroad.
