European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 6, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Magazine the government is encouraging saut la to spend More of their vacation dollars at Home. Saudis shift to in country vacations a Donna Fenn Heintzen associated press s Audi arabians with fewer petrodollars in their pockets and worried about Security and culture Shock. Hava slam cd looking for. Holidays at name and finding there is More to the country Man  the Oil Price heyday of the 1970s, saudi moslem flocked to ins kingdom s air terminals to escape the heal and Monotony of the desert for the great tourist capitals Paris. London new York and los Angeles. The French and Spanish rivieras Istanbul and Cairo. But local tourism has been on the Rise Lor the past live years spearheaded by a government Campaign to encourage saudis to spend their vacation Dot Ais Al Homo -./-. " there Are Quilo a lot of religiously conservative families who suffer Wien they go abroad,." said Ilu him Al Sayed director general of tourism development in the country s mountainous Southwest Asir Region. They Don t want Tor seen agers to copy. National Park. It s Beautiful Sandal Sameih. It reminds us of the old Days when we used to go to Lebanon every summer. The mountains Are the  a local newspaper noted that visitors to the Abha Region reached an unprecedented number. To the extent that the real estate Ollices in Abha cannot Cope with the Greal demand for furnished and Unur nishid  an estimated 800,000 visitors were reported to have made it despite a relatively Small Airport. The recent popularity Oln country tourism is due largely to the government. Five years ago Iho few Lour Lyls who came to Al Bah and Abha had toe Lher Camp out or rely on the kindness of strangers for accommodation. Now. There Are five hotels in the area some of i hem bankrolled by the finance ministry. Private businessmen Are also being encouraged to invest in. Tourism. As Long As the facilities Are there the tourists will come said Kuhnen who nonetheless feels the Region butlers for Lack of recreational diversions. An amusement Park would make at Baha More attractive to saudi families who generally have targe numbers of children to entertain he said. Land has already been allocated but awaits an investor. Al Baha does not Lack Scenic Beauty. Al nearly 10,000 feel above sea level the air is Coo Crisp and a bit Damp a Welcome change from just about any place else in the kingdom during the summer months. The mountains rough craggy and dolled with scrubby Green plants Rise dramatically out of the Tehama Valley and Are populated by shepherds tending flocks of sheep and goats. Baboons Tope Down the Mountainside carrying scraps of food fed to them by Motel Staft and Early rising guess. The historically minded tourist can retrace the Tail Abha leg of the ancient frankincense route which originally started in Southern Oman and ended in Jordan. To the government promoting internal tourism Means More Ihan just providing its citizens with vacation options. At a recent symposium on drugs development of internal tourism was cited As one Way to discourage youth Iron travelling abroad and encountering drug users and Sellers. Newspapers frequently warn readers of the travails of foreign travel filing examples of How unsuspecting saudis Are cheated. V. Westerners.". He added that Many saudis Are also acutely aware that language and cultural barriers Mako them attractive victims for con artists abroad. The travelled in Europe and i be faced some of tha troubles said fahd Al Saydoh Public relations manager Al the Riyadh intercontinental hotel. My family s now looking for a Villa in Abha. There Ore Many people who spend their Summers there who used to go to Europe -. Abdais in the Coofer mountainous province of Astin 1 Southwest saudi Arabia. He added in the Oil Boom years businessmen ,. Thought nothing of driving to the Airport and boarding any available International flight. Now people Are More aware of spending their  tourism within saudi Arabia May seem like a hard. Sell Given the country s reputation As a desert. Kingdom lacking much in the Way of amusement. But beaches in the country s Eastern province on the Gull draw big crowds. I Dutah on the red sea ally acts scuba diving enthusiasts and Hajran close to Yemen otters unusual architecture. For a change of scenery Many Lou risks try the Southwest. The Whoso Southwest area is very popular said Andini Kuhnen. Who runs the Al Baha Model in that Region. Kuhnen estimates that the Milel opened in 1985, now books around 20,000 tourists a year. At Baha saudi Arabia s smallest province is situated Between taif where the government retreats into the mountains for the summer months and Abha capital of Asir province which boasts 1,736 Square Miles o sunday november 6, 1986 great for the weekend cascading chandelier adds that special Homey touch to a Chic Villa in saudi  ". The stars and stripes. Page 13