Saudi tourism launches its premier travel show in Indonesia

• In 2023, the Kingdom welcomed over 1.5 million Indonesian visitors, primarily focused on Umrah and pilgrimage sites.
• The exhibition, which runs until May 5, is expected to attract approximately 10,000 daily visitors.
• The Saudi travel show has sparked interest from prospective visitors.

On Wednesday, the Saudi Tourism Authority inaugurated its inaugural exhibition show in Indonesia to acquaint visitors from the world’s largest Muslim-majority country with the Kingdom’s cultural and adventure destinations. The tourism sector, booming under Vision 2030, is positioning the Kingdom as a dynamic, diverse, year-round tourism destination and market. It aims to contribute 10 percent to the gross domestic product by 2030.

Welcomed with dates and qahwa — traditional Arabic coffee — Indonesians flocked to the STA exhibition inaugurated by Saudi Hajj and Umrah Minister Tawfiq Al-Rabiah and Alhasan Aldabbagh, STA president for Asia-Pacific markets, at the Kota Kasablanka Mall in South Jakarta.

“Saudi and Indonesia are good countries that have enjoyed social and economic ties for many, many years, and we have been receiving and welcoming many Indonesian travelers who are going for Umrah and Hajj,” Aldabbagh told the reporters.

“We want to attract even more Indonesians, not just to do Umrah but to explore other places … Indonesia is a special market for us because of this strong relationship.”

In 2023, the Kingdom welcomed over 1.5 million Indonesian visitors, primarily focused on Umrah and pilgrimage sites. Saudi authorities are optimistic that they will begin to explore the country’s rich history and heritage.

Aldabbagh anticipates approximately 10,000 daily visitors at the Jakarta exhibition, which will run until May 5.

“We want people to learn about all the attractions that we have in Saudi … to come with their families and enjoy and discover,” he said, giving as examples Jeddah and AlUla.

Jeddah, a historical city on the eastern shore of the Red Sea since the 7th century, has served as a major port for Indian Ocean trade routes and the gateway for Muslim pilgrims to Makkah.

With its inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Jeddah boasts a distinctive architectural tradition influenced by the ancient trade routes.

Another UNESCO site, AlUla, is an ancient desert oasis and one of the most significant cultural cradles in the Arabian Peninsula.

The ancient kingdoms flourished in the AlUla Valley between 800 and 100 B.C., followed by Hegra — Saudi Arabia’s first location registered on the World Heritage List. Hegra was a major city of the Nabataean civilization, whose capital, Petra, was located in present-day Jordan.

The Saudi travel show in Jakarta has already captured the interest of prospective visitors, who express intrigue at the variety of destinations the Kingdom offers.

“This is good for us to gain more information because we’ve never had this before, this is rare. Usually, we’ll get information from travel agencies, but this is coming straight from the Saudi authorities,” said Yudi Prasetyo, a Jakarta resident.

Another visitor, Linda Wardani, expressed curiosity about exploring the Kingdom’s ancient sites, which she had previously only encountered through social media channels.

“We are curious to see AlUla looking so wonderful,” she said. “We are even more curious about other destinations in Saudi Arabia because when it comes to Umrah, the destinations are commonly known, but aside from that, we’re seeing the growth of Saudi Arabia and there are other tourist sites to see.”

Halid Umar Bakadam, CEO of Dream Tour travel agency, has also noticed a growing interest beyond Umrah. His company now provides extended tours, allowing visitors to explore other destinations in the Kingdom.

“They are welcoming more tourists,” he said. “For the new destinations, there are quite many people showing interest.”

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