AKIPRESS.COM - Tourism industry of Saudi Arabia will create 1.7 million job opportunities for Saudi men and women within the next six years, Zawya reported referring to Prince Sultan bin Salman, President of Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA ).

He added the government and the people of Saudi Arabia pin great hope on the tourism sector that contributes 2.6% of the gross domestic product.

The SCTA chief disclosed plans to introduce a number of new tourism programs to create jobs for citizens.

Thus, Live Saudi program aims at helping the youth to explore tourism potentials of their country, while Youth Tourism helps young to participate in group-tourism programs.

“By the year 2013, the tourism sector provided 751,000 jobs with Saudis holding 27.1% of them. Tourism represents the second largest economic sector, after banking, in providing jobs for Saudis. Tourism sector would soon become the largest Saudi employer,” the SCTA President noticed.