66 islands ready for tourism investment

DAMMAM: The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH) has announced that 66 islands are now ready for investment.
Rustom Al-Kubaisi, head of the SCTNH’s branch in Jazan, said these islands are not inhabited but services such as piers, restrooms and umbrella have now been set up on the three major islands — Farasan, Sajid and Muharraq.
The official said that the tourism income from Farasan Island alone during the Hareed fishing festival and winter season is estimated at more than SR2 million, with thousands of people arriving from different parts of the world.
Al-Kubaisi said that Farasan Island was considered a major part of the trade in pearls in the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea in ancient times.
Farasan is the largest island of the Farasan Islands, located some 50 km offshore from Jazan. A number of uninhabited islands serve as breeding sites for large numbers of birds and Arabian gazelles.
It also has a beautiful coastline for divers.
Transportation to Farasan is free, with two ships engaged in the service, one leaving Jazan Port at 7:30 a.m. and the other at 3:30 p.m.