In the verdant and mountainous south-west of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where historic tribes herd goats through villages that date back thousands of years, one of the world’s most exciting travel destinations is now taking shape.
Local visitors from the capital city Riyadh have long sought respite in the fresh air and morning breeze of these cloud-capped mountains, far from the searing heat of the rest of the Kingdom.
The Asir Development Authority (ASDA) is now spearheading a long-term transformation plan that will pour billions of dollars of investment into infrastructure, hotels and resorts and open up this extraordinary region to tourists from across the Middle East and beyond.
With stringent regulations in place that will preserve the area’s unique natural environment and cultural heritage, the Authority believes that tourism will be the driver of a new era of social and economic development for Asir.
Sultan Zomaia, strategy director of the Asir Development Authority, discusses what ASDA is doing to maximise Asir’s unique potential as a magnet for international tourists and investors.
What makes Asir such a promising place for tourism investment?
Asir has four different landscapes: the mountains, the slopes, the desert and the sea and beach, each with their very different climates. Visitors can enjoy the fresh air and clouds of the high mountains or they can choose the warmth and fun of a beach holiday. Nowhere else has this variety of landscapes.
Our region has incredible history. We have more than four thousand heritage villages. Every village has its own unique story. The local community is warm and welcoming of local and international visitors. Hospitality is at the heart of their interactions with people.
Asir also has 60 percent of all the nature in Saudi Arabia, with green land and mountains that you will not see elsewhere in the country. It is home to the best honey, the best flowers and the best coffee. With two airports and eight roads into the region, Asir is one of the most accessible and exciting tourist destinations in the world.
When was the Asir Development Authority founded and what are its main aims?
The Authority was established in 2018 by King Salman and the Crown Prince. Its current aim is to increase Asir’s contribution to national GDP by more than 50 percent.
We are focusing on tourism, which is the backbone of our region and our economy. We look at tourism as an ecosystem. It is not just about investing in hotels, resorts, spas and visitor centres. It is about training people to work in the tourism sector. It is about supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and helping them benefit from the development of tourism. It is about focusing on services and quality. It is about doing everything we can to showcase our landscapes and our heritage to the world.
What are the major investment projects?
We want to increase our hotel capacity by around 23,000 rooms. The Public Investment Fund [Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund] is leading the way in the mountain resort of Soudah. We have also invested heavily in infrastructure such as electricity, water, telecommunications and roads. We are supporting the local university, which will supply the workforce for the tourism industry. We are investing in our airports and in new medical facilities. Everything is in place for tourism to take off.
What interest are you seeing from foreign investors?
Asir is the right place for global tourism investors to achieve great returns. We are offering a lot of land and the full support of the Asir Development Authority. We are already receiving many interested parties and we put all our resources at their disposal.
We are looking for investors who want to form part of our dream at Asir. We want to receive more than $4 billion from the private sector by 2030. It is a large number, but with the number of investors that we are already welcoming I think we will achieve our target before 2030.
What are you doing to protect the environment of Asir during this investment boom?
Our plan for Asir has three pillars: people, prosperity and planet. We will preserve our natural environment, decrease pollution and use new models for construction that will not impact negatively on our land.
If an investor wants to build a mountain resort, they will not be permitted to destroy natural resources with concrete. We have a whole series of building regulations and principles that will protect the environment of Asir.
All the investment projects that will transform Asir will have to be aligned with the environment and with the local community. This is a historic and unique region and it is our duty to preserve it for generations to come
