561,000 Saudis spent SR5.5bn on tourism

(MENAFN- Arab News) The Tourist Information Center MAS announced in a recent survey that Saudi families went on 895,000 excursions during Eid Al-Adha across the Kingdom, with revenues estimated at SR5.9 billion. MAS said 561,000 Saudis traveled outside the Kingdom during the holiday, spending more than SR5.5 billion. The center noted that the holiday lasted 12 days this year, in comparison with 16 days last year. Bahrain topped the list of tourist destinations for Saudis, with 190,000 tourists, Kuwait with 98,000, the Emirates at 89,000 and Qatar with 50,000. The survey also showed that 334,000 tourists came into the Kingdom and spent more than SR1.1 billion. The highest numbers of tourists visiting the Kingdom came from Kuwait, followed by Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. MAS provides data after each holiday season. The center comes up with statistics in cooperation with the National Information Center. It monitors arrivals through the Kingdom's ports and provides the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities with travelers' monthly daily data. This data is published periodically on MAS's electronic website, www.mas.gov.sa.