CHENGDU, China: Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH), stressed the importance of tourism and the need to empower it to support and enhance the economy and create more job opportunities.
This came during a speech delivered on Wednesday by Prince Sultan at the opening of the 22nd session of the General Assembly of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Chengdu, China.
He also pointed out that Saudi Arabia has worked with UNWTO to achieve the largest growth of the tourism sector.
“Under the direction of King Salman, Saudi Arabia is moving with all its power to promote, empower and support tourism at all levels to continue more successes and leaps that are in line with the aspirations of citizens, residents and visitors of the Kingdom,” the prince added.
He also pointed out that “tourism is the second sector in terms of numbers that provide job opportunities for Saudi citizens.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping explained the importance of supporting tourism in the world because it is an important channel for the exchange of knowledge and cultures among countries, economic development and job creation.
“The incoming tourism to China accounts for 10 percent of the local economy as 95 million people visit the country per year. China comes in fourth place at the international level.”
He added that the volume of spending on domestic tourism reaches more than $600 billion and that China is working at full capacity to further develop tourism because of its strength in providing real employment opportunities for citizens.
“The best way to develop the economy is through the empowerment of tourism and removal of obstacles it faces in various fields, and encouraging people to travel and enjoy the world,” he said in a speech delivered by his deputy prime minister.
The Chinese president stated that tourism is a job for all. He called for the mutual opening of doors and announced China’s desire to work with all countries to develop solutions for travel visas.
“Fifty-eight percent of passengers annually get visas; therefore, it is necessary to facilitate and improve procedures bilaterally with countries so that tourism can perform its role,” he said.
The secretary-general of the WTO, Taleb Rifai, cited the need to promote international tourism and support travel. He also said that 1.2 billion people travel annually and expected that the number will reach 1.8 billion people in 2030.
The General Assembly of the WTO, at its 22nd session, is the largest assembly to be held in the history of the UNWTO, with some 1,100 officials and 75 ministers representing more than 132 countries.
Bahrain and Egypt have been elected members of the executive council for the Middle East region along with Saudi Arabia, which is already a member of the council.
SCTH president: Saudi Arabia oriented to promote, enhance tourism
SCTH president: Saudi Arabia oriented to promote, enhance tourism
Built by hand, rooted in history: National Historical Palace in Taif is one man’s tribute to Saudi heritage and Islamic history
- Built by Majid Al-Thabiti, the site blends Islamic history with contemporary design, rooted in the symbolism of the number seven
- Spanning 70,000 sq. meters, the palace features seven museums, seven facades, seven gates and almost 7 million stones cut and laid by the man himself
MAKKAH: In the heart of Wadi Qarn in Taif governorate, one man’s vision has resulted in one of Saudi Arabia’s most striking heritage landmarks: the National Historical Palace for Islamic Civilization.
Built by Majid Al-Thabiti, the site blends Islamic history with contemporary design, rooted in the symbolism of the number seven.
In an interview with Arab News, Al-Thabiti said: “The number symbolizes perfection and completeness in several Qur’anic verses, including the seven heavens, the seven earths and the seven shaded by God in his shadow, among others.”
The project was born out of Al-Thabiti’s strong will. He believed in his dream and devoted his effort, time and energy to bring it to life.
Spanning 70,000 sq. meters, the palace features seven museums, seven facades, seven gates and almost 7 million stones cut and laid by the man himself.
The museums offer distinct cultural and education experiences. Exhibits cover Islamic architecture, local heritage, plastic arts and sculpture, rare collections, astronomy, military history documenting the unification of the Kingdom and an agricultural museum featuring seeds mentioned in the Holy Qur’an.
The palace includes 600 square meters of flooring adorned with colored stones and inspired by the historical art of Sadu, an intangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO.
Al-Thabiti said that he personally cuts, shapes and stacks the stones himself. “The manual labor is what gives the project its true spirit, as every corner bears (my) imprint, effort and dedication,” he added.
He used seven types of stone sourced from across Saudi Arabia, including basalt, quartz and shale. His attention to detail is reflected in features such as hand-shaped facades, floor mosaics inspired by Sadu art and stonework colored in seven hues that mirror the Kingdom’s geological diversity.
Highlights at the palace include an Abbasid-style minaret with a water fountain in honor of Zubaida, the wife of Harun Al-Rashid; an observatory used to track the crescent moon; and stone engravings of Saudi megaprojects like NEOM and The Line.
The site also includes engravings on stone of the Kingdom’s military vehicles, such as a fighter jet and ship.
Al-Thabiti also built a 700-meter sports track along the banks of Qarn valley, a stable for purebred Arabian horses, as well as replicas of symbolic gates like Makkah Gate, Taif Gate and King Abdulaziz Islamic Gate, with stones from Mounts Al-Nur, Thawr and Uhud. Other exhibits, like Diriyah and Yawm Badina (The Day We Began), commemorate key moments in Saudi history.
According to Al-Thabiti, his goal is to transform the palace into a cultural and educational destination that celebrates the Kingdom’s history and heritage.
“We possess a great civilizational legacy and a deep-rooted history. It is our duty to present it to the world in the finest way. This palace is the beginning,” he said.
Ancient terrace farming technique shapes Asir’s agricultural heritage
- Together, the thumalah and mughayyid systems stand as a testament to early innovation sustaining life in one of Saudi Arabia’s most challenging landscapes
RIYADH: For centuries, the people of Saudi Arabia’s Asir region have cultivated food on steep mountain slopes using stone terracing systems.
They began with the construction of stone retaining walls known locally as “thamayil,” the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Each individual wall, called “thumalah,” is anchored into bedrock and can rise two to six meters in height.
They serve as critical infrastructure for mountain agriculture by creating level growing surfaces on otherwise impossible terrain.
“The thumalah represents a stone containment system designed to capture sloping mountain terrain,” Ahmed Al-Bariqi, an architectural heritage researcher, said in an interview with the SPA. “After building the stone barrier, the enclosed space is filled with a mixture of clay, soil and rocks to create a flat, arable surface suitable for both farming and habitation.”
Local builders adapted to their surroundings, often reinforcing these structures with juniper and sidr tree trunks, as well as massive stones to withstand the pressure of heavy seasonal rains.
Water management is equally sophisticated. The “mughayyid” regulates irrigation and controls flooding by channeling water flow between terraced fields.
“Ancient builders displayed remarkable engineering precision in the mughayyid’s construction,” Al-Bariqi has said in his book “Antiquities and Heritage in Bariq Governorate.”
He added: “Square or elongated stones formed the base structure, while carefully polished flat stones were placed at the top, precisely leveled to allow water to flow at calculated rates between terraces.”
Positioned at strategic elevations, the mughayyid retains optimal water volumes while preventing destructive flooding that could compromise the entire terrace system.
These terraces do more than support agriculture. According to Dr. Ghaithan bin Jurais of King Khalid University, they reflect a deep-rooted civilization in Asir dating back thousands of years.
“These structures preserve soil resources, establish clear property boundaries between neighboring farms, and historically served as recognized markers of family and tribal land ownership,” he said.
Together, the thumalah and mughayyid systems stand as a testament to early innovation sustaining life in one of Saudi Arabia’s most challenging landscapes.
Saudi, British foreign ministers discuss regional and international developments
- Two ministers also discussed Saudi-UK relations
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Saturday spoke with his British counterpart David Lammy, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The two ministers discussed Saudi-UK relations, as well as regional and international developments and the efforts being made in this regard, SPA added.
The call came on the same day as Prince Faisal's meeting with Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi in Jeddah.
Saudi minister meets with UNIDO director-general
During his official visit to Denmark this weekend, Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef met with Gerd Muller, the director-general of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.
The Saudi Press Agency reported that the two men “discussed ways to deepen the strategic partnership between the Kingdom and the organization in a way that supports the goals of sustainable industrial development.”
Alkhorayef also held bilateral meetings with leaders of several leading Danish companies in the industry and mining sectors, according to the SPA, to discuss “joint investment opportunities, as well as the incentives offered by the Kingdom to investors.”
Crown prince holds phone calls with King of Bahrain, Emir of Kuwait
RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke on the phone with King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain and Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Saturday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
During the calls, the crown prince reviewed relations between the Kingdom and Bahrain and Kuwait, SPA added.
They also discussed a number of issues of common interest.
