Saudi Arabia, the most important Islamic country, has announced the launch of tourism in a historic decision to improve its economy.
This is the first time that tourism for ordinary foreigners has been announced in a country of great importance due to the holy places of Islam around the world.
Earlier, in Saudi Arabia, only Muslim tourists were allowed to perform Hajj or Umrah or visit visas were issued to people whose relatives reside there.
But after the recent announcement of the government, citizens of every country in the world will be able to visit the most important Islamic country.
While Saudi Arabia has made a historic decision to allow tourism, the government has also announced a relaxation in the dress code for foreign women, not allowing them to wear the abaya.
The AFP news agency quoted Ahmed al-Khatib, head of Saudi Arabia's tourism department, as saying that the government's new move would increase Saudi Arabia's gross domestic product by 7%.
He said that Saudi Arabia is one of the most important countries in the world in terms of tourism and there are also five ancient historical sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
According to him, Saudi Arabia has some of the most beautiful places in the world, including the remains of the world's oldest civilizations, which will be a great attraction for tourists.
The Saudi government will issue 90-day tourist visas to foreigners, while online issuance of visas to citizens of 49 countries will also start from September 28.
Foreigners will be issued visas throughout Saudi Arabia, but despite the new announcement, non-Muslim tourists will not be given access to the holiest cities for Muslims, the holy Islamic sites in Mecca and Medina.
The Saudi government has launched a tour for foreigners at a time when Saudi Arabia's oil facilities were allegedly attacked by Iran a few days ago.
Saudi Arabia's oil revenues have been steadily declining over the past few years, and the government is investing in other alternative sources, including tourism and entertainment, to reduce its dependence on oil revenues.
The government's approval of tourism is expected to attract 100 million tourists annually, and the project will create one million new jobs.
Opening the door to tourism will require Saudi Arabia to build luxury hotels with at least 500,000 rooms in the next few years, and construction projects are expected to begin in various parts of the country once tourism begins.
The Saudi government is already building a tourist city called Newem, as well as an entertainment and sports city called Al Qaeda.
In addition, the Saudi government has announced plans to build luxury resorts on 50 islands along the Red Sea, and work on these projects is in full swing.
