Arab News, Saturday, Aug 28, 2021 | Muharram 20, 1443
New Chinese deal to promote Saudi Arabia as tourist destination
Saudi Arabia:
The Saudi Tourism Authority
(STA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Alibaba Cloud, the
digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group.
The MoU establishes the framework to create a
seamless visitor experience for Chinese tourists traveling to Saudi Arabia.
Through the collaboration, Alibaba Cloud will
deploy advanced cloud technology to create an improved digital experience for
Chinese tourists and allow for the automation of services in content delivery,
digital storage and digital processing.
Alibaba Cloud will also provide technical support
to STA to promote the Kingdom as a tourist destination for Chinese travelers.
“As Saudi continues to develop its leisure tourism
offering for local, regional and international audiences, STA is building a
digital infrastructure which can provide the destination with a competitive edge
and visitors with the best possible experience,” said Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of
STA.
“The recovery of the global tourism sector demands
fresh thinking to overcome challenges exacerbated by the pandemic. By
collaborating with Alibaba Cloud, we will break new ground in the regional
tourism sector and position Saudi at the forefront of efforts to modernize the
wider global tourism eco-system,” he added.
Selina Yuan, general manager of international
business at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence and vice president of Alibaba Group,
said: “This collaboration brings together two key actors in the tourism sector
who can set a new standard for providing a travel experience like no other. With
Alibaba Cloud leading the digital transformation of tourism, and Saudi’s unique
destinations, this is a combination which will help to reinvigorate the tourism
sector.”