ABHA: Abha’s status as “Capital of Arab Tourism” for 2017 will bring dozens of investment opportunities, experts have said.
The Saudi city was earlier named the tourism capital for this year by the Arab Tourism Organization.
Abha has a diverse environment, with forests in the parks Soudah, Dulghan, Al-Hubala, and towering highlands in addition to the eastern plains and western coasts.
Asir Municipality seeks to keep pace with the celebration of the coronation of the city of Abha as the Capital of Arab Tourism 2017 through offering dozens of investment opportunities inside the city to help attract investors.
Director-general of investment in the region Ali Al-Haid explained that tender specifications for those opportunities include international conferences and exhibitions areas, a shopping mall, hotel, two restaurants at two distinct tourist sites in addition to a number of other opportunities.
“The project of exhibition and conference, the airport’s mall and hotel which is located on an area of 200,000 square meters will contribute to the revitalization of tourism in the region throughout the year as well as embracing many programs, events and conferences,” he said.
Al-Haid said that these opportunities include “a shopping mall on King Abdullah Road in an area of 30,000 square meters, near the King Faisal Medical City and the hostel university, in addition to 5-star hotels and villas.”
Al-Haid said that the opportunities include the operation, maintenance and investment of the Airport Park, which has been carried out at a cost of SR33.375 million in a total area of 125,000 square meters.