DOHA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th June, 2020) Saudi Arabia intends to resume domestic tourism by the end of June, despite the constant increase in the number of COVID-19 patients per day and the fact that the country ranks first in the Arab world in terms of COVID-19 cases, Tourism Minister Ahmed bin Aqeel Al-Khatib told the Al-Arabiya broadcaster on Wednesday.
The number of those infected in the kingdom has been rising since late May as coronavirus-related restrictions have been gradually lifted.
"We have developed many programs for domestic tourism this summer, there are positive signals that we will begin to implement them at the end of the current Muslim month of Shawwal [June 23], we just need to agree with the Ministry of Health, and then, we will resume internal tourism in all areas, except Mecca," Al-Khati said.
In late May, officials in Saudi Arabia published proposals to begin a step-by-step easing of lockdown measures until June 21, when curfews put into place to curb the spread of COVID-19 will be lifted in almost all cities. In particular, Saudi mosques have already resumed Friday prayers, a large number of public and private businesses have been allowed to resume activities, and the government has also lifted the ban on domestic flights and interregional travel by any means of transport.
To date, Saudi Arabia has confirmed as many as 141,234 cases, including 91,662 recoveries and 1,091 fatalities.
