Old Diriyah is closed!

As part of the Saudi plans to pump up tourism in the country, The Old Diriyah, which was the original home of the Saudi royal family, and served as the capital of the first Saudi dynasty from 1744 to 1818, is temporarily closed to the public for renovation for at least 3 years.


Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Chairman of the Board and Secretary General of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) outlined the strategic plan for tourism development in the kingdom which includes the restoration of some tourist spots in the region, antiquities and museums, including exploration, plus accommodation, travel agents, tour operators and tourism masterplans.

The commission has to restructure the industry and highlights the importance that is now given to the tourism sector.


While explaining that the mandate for the Supreme Commission for Tourism and Antiquities was to ensure that tourism adds value to the economy, culture and society, Prince Sultan emphasized that the first major target market was to attract the domestic audience, five million of whom travel overseas each year.


Other initiatives complementing this expansion included the addition of four more airports, bringing the total to 30, plus the construction of gateway airport cities, starting with Jeddah, which would include accommodation, exhibition and conference facilities to target the meetings sector.