Arab News, Thursday, Jun 08, 2023 | Thul-Qidah 19, 1444
Saudi Arabia, Oman launch joint tourism initiatives
Saudi Arabia:
The introduction of a unified tourist visa between Saudi Arabia and Oman was one
of the several initiatives agreed upon at a high-level meeting held between
officials of the two countries.
The exploration of a joint tourism calendar and
facilitation of seasonal trips between the two countries were also discussed
when Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb met with his Omani counterpart
Salim Al-Mahrouqi.
The two ministers also discussed boosting trade
and investment cooperation in tourism-related projects, as well as supporting
entrepreneurs participating in the industry.
Furthermore, both parties reached an agreement to
implement joint tourism programs focusing on camping and adventure tourism.
“At the invitation of my brother, His Excellency
the Omani Minister of Heritage and Tourism, Salem Al-Mahrouqi, I visited the
brotherly Sultanate of Oman, and we discussed aspects of joint cooperation,”
Al-Khateeb wrote on his official Twitter account.
“We also toured the National Museum, and during
the visit, we launched a package of joint tourism initiatives and programs
between our two brotherly countries,” he added.
Those initiatives included training and developing
human capital in the tourism sector under the umbrella of the Gulf Tourism
Strategy, which was discussed by leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council
countries last November.
There were also agreements encompassing promotion,
marketing, tourism activation, regulations, air connections, and seasonal
flights.
“To your Excellency, thanks and appreciation for
answering the invitation and for your sponsorship of the efforts made to
harmonize a number of initiatives that will inevitably benefit the tourism
sector according to the objectives that were discussed and identified during
your visit,” Al-Mahrouqi replied to Al-Khateeb’s tweet.