SCTA President: We have 3 years challenge to execute King Abdullah Project for Care of Cultural Heritage of the Kingdom
Almasalla Arab Travel Portal News – Prince Saud bin Naif, Governor of the Eastern Province and Chairman of the Province s Tourism Development Council, on Thursday, 21st February, patronized the opening ceremony of the 2nd Tourist Guides Forum in the Kingdom, which was hosted by Al Ahsa municipality at “Hajr Hall for Occasions”.
The ceremony was attended by Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, President of SCTA, and Prince Badr bin Mohammad Al Jalawy, Al Ahsa Mayor, Chairman of Al Ahsa Tourism Development Council.
President of SCTA, in a press statement following the ceremony, disclosed that, SCTA’s body will be restructured, and that SCTA along with its partners, has 3 years challenge to execute programs and projects of King Abdullah Project for Care of Cultural Heritage of the Kingdom which was recently approved by the Cabinet, adding that, SCTA has been working throughout the past two weeks to restructure its executive bodies in order to keep up with the requirements of implementation of the resolution.
SCTA President further stated that, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has instructed to preserve Islamic history sites and that SCTA is working with relevant authorities in Al Madina and Makkah to rehabilitate Islamic history sites.
SCTA is working in accordance with the directives of Crown Prince, Minister of Defense for developing Islamic battles sites such as Al Khandaq, Uhud and Badr battles.
"SCTA works in coordination with Governor of Makkah and Chairman of Makkah Development Authority to develop Jabal Al Nor (Mountain of Light) and keep it secured of abuse and misuse and establish an advanced visitor center in it, train well educated people to guide the visitors of these sites and provide them with correct religious and historical information.
"King Abdullah Project for Care of Cultural Heritage of the Kingdom is a large umbrella under which are included a lot of projects related to Islamic and pre-Islam sites," added HRH.
President of SCTA, has pointed out that, he has participated in this forum because he is a tourist guide (licensed tourist guide holding the first tourist guide license since 2004), and that he is proud of being a tourist guide who contributes to highlighting the culture of his country to Saudis and foreigners as well.
President of SCTA, added that, I am attending this event also as a President of Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, a body that monitors and is responsible of Tourist Guide activity within a wide-range of various other tourism activities that SCTA was very keen to establish and develop because of their key role in creating the tourism integrated experience, which also includes tour operators and event operators.
"SCTA views the tourist guide as a key partner in its activities and programs and an effective factor for the success of those activities and programs".
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SCTA looks forwards to fruitful work with its partners including the tourist guides and tour operators and the like players in tourism sector in order to prompt the citizen to visit heritage and historic sites after being rehabilitated and developed under the King Abdullah Project for Care of Culture Heritage to allow citizens truly engage in these sites and inspire the history of their country and touch Kingdom’s glorious foundation.
President of SCTA, on the other hand praised the patronization of Prince Saud bin Naif to the forum and his support and attention towards all activities, programs and projects belonging to tourism and the national heritage in the province, indicating that Prince Saud was concerned of tourism since he was an ambassador to the Custodian to Madrid, Spain, where he had great role in Kingdom’s utilization from the World Tourism Organization at its headquarters in Madrid as the first Saudi representative in the WTO, also Prince Saud had great role in adopting the Arabic language within the major languages in the UNWTO.
President of SCTA in his statement referred to the importance of the tourist guidance as an activity that contributes to the creation of job opportunities and introduces country potentials in the areas of culture, tourism and heritage as well as highlights the underway developmental progress in different areas and over different provinces of the Kingdom.
"Tourist guide’s task is first of all a national duty, so the first motive of the people who submit to this job is a patriotic motive aiming at introducing the domestic tourists and visitors to the Kingdom’s history, heritage and monuments.
At SCTA we were very keen to organize this sector and transform it into an economic sector contributing to provision of jobs to youth and enhancing tourism integrated experience for the domestic tourists," added HRH.
SCTA has developed tourist guide criteria and conditions in accordance with the international standards to ensure professional performance in tourist guide activity. SCTA so far has licensed over 229 tourist guides in different categories (general guide, area guide and site guide).
President of SCTA, in his statement also expressed his appreciation to the chairman and members of the Advisory Committee of the Tourist Guides, which includes a number of licensed guides and is considered as one of the most active advisory committees established by SCTA.
Addressing the committee said, “Along the way there are many challenges that the committee should take into account and we guarantee the full support of SCTA.”
President of SCTA said that, Al Ahsa is promised of great prosperity in tourism development area especially after the execution of Al Ogair Tourism Development Project, and Al Hofuf Center Development Project.
"Tourism is a new sector and a new culture in our country in light of richness of our rich country. Actually countries suffering lack of resources are the countries that focus most on tourism. The Kingdom is different as it has huge human resources and that the most important thing that Saudi citizen is welcoming and open to others. Our country enjoys thousands of natural and heritage sites in addition to marine, mountain and desert environments most of them have been surveyed, but the most important thing is that the government believes that the tourism is a job creator.”
President of SCTA, commended Al Ahsa people who pay great attention to everything that may serve them and serve their country such as the “tourist guides who I am one of them. Al Ahsa is a beautiful place, it is weather is wonderful and it promises of a brighter future in tourism and heritage.”
For his part, Sattam Al Balawi, Head of the Advisory Committee of Tourist Guides, in his speech said that this forum which is organized by the committee aims to introduce tourist guidance and serve the society through marking the domestic tourism and raising awareness on culture of Group Tourism. The committee has succeeded during the last few years with the support of Department of Licensing and Quality Assurance at SCTA, in drawing support and sponsorships in addition to effective participation of tourist guides in the events of the World Tourism Day.
