Saudi- High rates deter local tourists
(MENAFN- Arab News) DAMMAM: Many Saudis have complained that while the Kingdom has attractive local tourist spots several charge high prices offer poor services and lack proper hygiene.
They said that Taif Abha Baha Jeddah and the Eastern Province have popular resorts but cannot compare with offerings abroad for quality and affordability. Many are also old and need to be revamped.
Mohammed Al-Zahrani said there is a 'significant difference in prices of tourist accommodation and almost all furnished apartments do not comply with set prices.' He called on the government to ensure there is no price manipulation.
Another citizen complained that some apartments were not properly cleaned and dilapidated. Also there was an urgent need to provide some accommodation for young single people especially during holiday periods.
Abdullah Al-Sawat director general of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH) in Taif said: 'The commission does not only issue licenses for tourist accommodation facilities but also controls service quality in line with the rating granted to each facility.'
He said that there are seven field teams responsible for inspecting accommodation facilities in the governorate and the surrounding provinces to impose fines on those who violate the SCTNH's set prices. The commission wants to ensure that operators provide top services for tourists he said.
Al-Sawat said that there was a remarkable improvement in the services offered by the country's tourist facilities in recent times especially since the SCTNH put in place clear operating standards and classifications.
He said that the SCTNH's inspectors recently uncovered 41 irregularities including some facilities overcharging customers and operating without proper government licenses.
He said facilities are assessed when they renew their licenses which is every year for hotels and every two years for rest facilities. Ratings are either increased or reduced depending on the performance of operators he said.
In Baha the SCTNH director general in the region Zaher Al-Shahri said: 'There is intensive monitoring of hotels and furnished residential apartments during the summer vacation. In some instances inspectors have forced operators to reimburse customers for overcharging them.'
Asir License Management's department recently carried out 12 rounds of inspections in 45 days uncovering 211 violations including failure to comply with fixed prices not displaying price lists and operating without licenses said Muhammad Al-Omra the SCTNH's director general in the region.
He said that the SCTNH stepped up inspections of facilities in Asir because accommodation was 90 percent full. This was because of the major influx of holidaymakers into the region.
Al-Omra said prices are determined by the commission with SR300 a day on average for furnished apartments. 'Currently we have more than 1000 accommodation facilities along with licenses granted to 13 4 and 5 star hotels in one year' he said.
They said that Taif Abha Baha Jeddah and the Eastern Province have popular resorts but cannot compare with offerings abroad for quality and affordability. Many are also old and need to be revamped.
Mohammed Al-Zahrani said there is a 'significant difference in prices of tourist accommodation and almost all furnished apartments do not comply with set prices.' He called on the government to ensure there is no price manipulation.
Another citizen complained that some apartments were not properly cleaned and dilapidated. Also there was an urgent need to provide some accommodation for young single people especially during holiday periods.
Abdullah Al-Sawat director general of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH) in Taif said: 'The commission does not only issue licenses for tourist accommodation facilities but also controls service quality in line with the rating granted to each facility.'
He said that there are seven field teams responsible for inspecting accommodation facilities in the governorate and the surrounding provinces to impose fines on those who violate the SCTNH's set prices. The commission wants to ensure that operators provide top services for tourists he said.
Al-Sawat said that there was a remarkable improvement in the services offered by the country's tourist facilities in recent times especially since the SCTNH put in place clear operating standards and classifications.
He said that the SCTNH's inspectors recently uncovered 41 irregularities including some facilities overcharging customers and operating without proper government licenses.
He said facilities are assessed when they renew their licenses which is every year for hotels and every two years for rest facilities. Ratings are either increased or reduced depending on the performance of operators he said.
In Baha the SCTNH director general in the region Zaher Al-Shahri said: 'There is intensive monitoring of hotels and furnished residential apartments during the summer vacation. In some instances inspectors have forced operators to reimburse customers for overcharging them.'
Asir License Management's department recently carried out 12 rounds of inspections in 45 days uncovering 211 violations including failure to comply with fixed prices not displaying price lists and operating without licenses said Muhammad Al-Omra the SCTNH's director general in the region.
He said that the SCTNH stepped up inspections of facilities in Asir because accommodation was 90 percent full. This was because of the major influx of holidaymakers into the region.
Al-Omra said prices are determined by the commission with SR300 a day on average for furnished apartments. 'Currently we have more than 1000 accommodation facilities along with licenses granted to 13 4 and 5 star hotels in one year' he said.
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