Asir accommodations gear up for summer

The General Authority for Tourism and Antiquities, Asir branch has launched a ‘cleaning campaign of accommodation facilities’ ahead of the summer season.
According to Mohamed Al-Umrah, general manager of the branch in the region, monitors from the General Authority for Tourism and Antiquities had imposed sanctions on accommodation facilities which were not in compliance with the regulations and had shut down another 20 facilities.
A total of 281 facilities were penalized for pricing and license violations.
Al-Umrah said that inspectors were checking on the quality of the standard of services provided to customers. He urged customers to make any complaints to the office call center on the number (19988).
Meanwhile, more than 1,000 accommodation facilities including 37 hotels ranging from 2 to 5 stars, as well as furnished apartments are preparing to welcome visitors to the Asir region during the summer season, according to Al-Umrah.
“This year, we are expecting a large number of visitors to visit Asir’s natural parks, museums, archaeological and popular markets, shopping festivals, art galleries and participate in sports competitions, cultural, religious and artistic programs,” he said adding that the occupancy rate for 2013 was between 75 and 95 percent.
Al-Umrah said that the Asir branch cooperates with four licensed tourism operators in the region in addition to more than 100 other tourist service providers.
He also emphasized the role of tour guides in the area, noting that all of them are trained within specialized programs and are enrolling in workshops to test and evaluate their capabilities.
He also pointed to the importance of early preparation for travel in terms of making reservations for accommodation, transportation, and scheduling any tourist visits to ensure the enjoyment of all the elements of tourism in the region.