Saudi Arabia promotes cruise-ship tourism away from pandemic
- Date: 07-Oct-2020
- Source: Arab Weekly
- Sector:Tourism
- Country:Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia promotes cruise-ship tourism away from pandemic
RIYADH - Sailing past pristine islands and turquoise lagoons, the first cruise ship offering Saudi tours serves a twin purpose — jump-starting tourism despite coronavirus fears and showcasing austerity-defying mega-projects planned along the Red Sea.
In August, the cruise liner Silver Spirit began offering tours along the unspoilt coastline which the petro-state aspires to turn into a global tourism and investment hotspot as part of a plan to reduce reliance on oil revenue.
Chartered by a company owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the luxury ship offers a window into multi-billion-dollar “giga projects” that the kingdom is forging ahead with despite a sharp economic downturn.
“We are introducing the Red Sea to the world,” Tourism Minister Ahmed al-Khatib said in an interview aboard the ship.
“We are unlocking the value of the Red Sea.”
On