Tourism officials see growing Saudi interest in heritage and history
Photo: SAUDI ARABIA: Nabatean tombs in Madain Saleh archeological site / Hugo Brizard / YouGoPhoto
Following decades of government neglect, Saudi Arabia has turned dozens of historical sites throughout the kingdom into tourism destinations. It’s been a boon for tour operators, but equally important is that a new generation of Saudis have taken a keen interest in their cultural and religious history.
The kingdom boasts more than 100 heritage sites. The most popular are perhaps the Naseef House in Old Jeddah, built in 1872, and Al-Ula, a town near the ancient ruins of Mada’in Saleh that was once at the crossroads of an important trade route between Medina and Tabuk.
But there are also more obscure sites largely unknown to tourists, such as the Eieiraif Fortress atop a hill in Hail and the Divan Heritage Souk in southeast Qassim province.
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Rob L. Wagner