The writer Karim Fahim discussed historical monuments throughout Saudi Arabia and said that the campaign launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi complicate the country's mission to promote tourism.
The author, the director of the Washington Post office in Istanbul, Turkey, said in an article that the archaeological treasures are distributed over a large area of Saudi Arabia, referring to the stone columns that rise in the desert, to the Ottoman railway station, inscriptions and inscriptions on the rocks, Red rocks, and other historical archaeological areas.
The author describes the archaeological sites in Saudi Arabia, saying it is a unique combination of natural beauty and the ruins of thousands of years of human settlement and the caravan routes for the trade of incense and pilgrims.
He adds that Saudi leaders have finally decided to allow interested archaeologists and tourists to come to visit historical monuments that are distributed throughout the country.
| DARAIYA, RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) |
Changes
The tourist attractions near Al-Ola city of Medina are the cornerstone of the invitation to invite foreign tourists to visit, in addition to the millions of pilgrims who visit the holy sites every year.
He says the plan is mostly aimed at boosting the economy by taking advantage of sources of income beyond oil, among many changes in the country.
The writer points to the challenges facing these tourism plans, in light of the international criticism faced by Saudi Arabia in the wake of the crackdown launched by Mohammed bin Salman against the opposition and women and human rights.
Many foreign companies and organizations have distanced themselves from Mohammed bin Salman's initiatives in the wake of Khashoggi's murder, including projects to promote arts, tourism and culture, which were welcomed by thousands of Saudis.
Obstacles and fears
"There is a promising future for tourism in Saudi Arabia, but there are social obstacles and concerns that must be overcome in attracting international tourists," said Christine Smith, a researcher at the Gulf Arab Institute in Washington.
She explains that the Saudi authorities' imprisonment of human rights activists is one of the obstacles in this context, as well as the brutal murder of a prominent journalist.
The development plan for Al Ola is the hub of the tourism initiative in Saudi Arabia, he said, adding that officials leading the development efforts believe they can attract a mix of cultural tourists, environmental travelers from the West, visitors from the Gulf and Saudis eager to expand their vision of national heritage. The pre-Islamic history was suppressed for decades by the country's leaders and religious conservatives.
The writer points out that the most famous tourist attractions in the area of Ola, including the tombs of the Nabataeans in Mada'in Saleh, which is the most important cities of the Nabataeans after the capital of Petra in Jordan.
The area contains more than 130 large tombs carved in the rock, as well as historical inscriptions dating back to the third century AD.
Archaeologists conclude that the area was the highest settlement point in the southernmost part of the Roman Empire.