Tourism in Riyadh (Essay Sample)

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Tourism in Riyadh
Tourism in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the fastest growing sectors in the recent history. Its contribution to the gross domestic product of economies has encouraged extensive investments. With these investments, economies can create jobs as well as utilize their natural, social-cultural, and economic potential. Riyadh, the capital city of Riyadh is an example of a modern tourist hub with historical monuments and ancient cultures. It is centrally placed in the vast Arab peninsula and rivals modern cities in the world due to its splendid architecture. It is a contemporary city with an expanding road network, high rises, residential suburbs and industrial parks.
Riyadh can be referred to as the cultural hub of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It has various attraction sites. In the recent past, various initiatives have been put in place to increase the tourism numbers in the city. Tourism fair, an annual event has had a major impact in this quest. Some of the tourist attractions in the city are;
The Kingdom Centre
Located in Riyadh city the capital of Saudi Arabia and considered the most luxurious building in the region, highly favored by local and international visitors. A modern marvel, a distinct landmark and an icon that represents Saudi Arabia. Its unique position gave it the advantage of being the best important destination for tourism in Saudi Arabia.
The kingdom centre is the land mark architecture that is famous for its magnificent structure, design, and appearance with unmatched distant visibility distinguishes kingdom centre from any other building in the region, The kingdom centre has total build up area of 300.000 square meters, standing magnificently at 300 meters overlooking the whole Riyadh.
Olaya
The bustling Olaya District may be the life blood of the city. This residential and commercial district offers accommodation, entertainment, dining and shopping options which will focus on your budget of the prince in addition to a pauper. The dominion Centre and also the Al Faisaliyah Center would be the area’s landmarks as the Sheraton , Howard Johnson Plaza , Al-Tamimi Shopping Centre and Haif Shopping Centre will also be popular nearby destinations.
Numerous shops, lively markets, world-cuisine restaurants and big malls keep both Salahuddin District and Street King Fahad full of tourists. The numerous hotels in the region, including the four-star Al Mutlaq Hotel offer convenient accommodation to people wanting to explore the town. Other attractions range from the Fal Commercial, Recreational Center Mall and also the Al-Shula Entertainment Centre .
Al-Musmak Castle
Al-Musmak castle is one of the major land marks in the region due to its history. This is the place where the blessed march took place and led to the unification of the kingdom. It relates to the historical battle of conquering Riyadh under the leadership of King Abdulaziz. It has several land marks namely the gate of the palace, the mosque, the wells and watchtowers. Since it was a king’s palace, the architecture of the traditional and ancient people is seen here. The unique architecture of the building shows the engineering might of the ancient Arabs. It has since changed to a historical location where the history of the state can be learned.
City of Old Ad’Diriyah
  Ad’Diriyah is the city where the reformatory religious movements in the Islamic world have been experienced. It is the city where the agreement between the Prince of Ad’Diriyah, Imam Mohammed bin Saud and Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Wahab met to correct the faith of the people in order to clear heresy, polytheism and superstition by returning to the words of the prophets. It has become one of the religion cities in the region and most religious meetings have been held here since then.
3. Wadi Hanifa
A dry and sharply defined riverbed (wadi) begins about 40 km north of Riyadh and runs in a north-south direction for over 120 km's, cutting through the western edge of the city, known as Wadi Hanifah. Wadi Hanifah was once the lifeblood of the Riyadh area, rich in groundwater, filled with palm groves and farms and dotted with a string of small towns and villages throughout history. In recent decades, the Wadi has been used as a large dumping ground for wastewater, sewage, and industrial waste, but a recent ambitious rehabilitation project has just been completed. An 80 km stretch running through western Riyadh is now essentially an 80-km desert park, though many parts of the Wadi floor are occupied by private estates and farms with high walls. The Wadi has several entry points, but perhaps the easiest route is by taking King Abdullah Road west past the university and into the town of Arqah. Eventually, you will reach a large round-about. Take the exit heading downwards into the Wadi. Follow the road even as it winds and weaves its way through the Wadi (do not be tempted to turn onto any side streets). Eventually, you will reach a police checkpoint, to the left of which is an an entry point to the Wadi floor. A narrow paved road runs along the Wadi floor. Heading southwards, you will eventually find designated picnic and barbecue spots facing the Wadi's cliff-like walls.
While dry for most of the year, wadis can flood very quickly with a moderate amount of rain. Ne...