March 30- Prince Salman, governor of Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, said the government is committed to developing the tourism sector, which will create more jobs and help the national economy grow. The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, (SCTDA) has the ambitious plan of increasing the tourism sector’s contribution to non-oil GDP from 6.5 percent to 11 percent in the near future.
The prince said the Saudi government, “led by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah had been exerting more efforts to promote the tourism industry.” The Prince was speaking following the inauguration of the high profile, five day Saudi Travel and Tourism Investment Market (STTIM) on Sunday night, which focuses on domestic destinations. A large number of royal family members, high ranking officials, foreign guests, and tourism industry leaders attended the opening ceremony. STTIM features travel and tourism products from 120 companies and provides a forum for industry leaders to share their experiences.
