Geo-Tourism, a niche market with considerable growth prospectssustaining or enhancing the distinctive geographical character of a place — along with its environment, heritage, aesthetics, culture and the well-being of its residents — is in the focus to diversify the tourism sector in the Kingdom, which is undergoing transformation in line with Vision 2030.

Geo-tourism links the act of viewing the beauty of geological and geomorphic features with the enjoyment of a site’s beauty, arousing a sense of wonder while gaining knowledge about the intrinsic value of the site. Notably, geo-tourism is considered one of themodern patterns of tourism included in sustainable tourism programs and based on making use of the sites with geological features without causing damage or destruction as it focuses on terrain and geological features.

The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH), the apex tourism body in theKingdom, has offered specialisedprogrammesto activate the pattern of geological and environmental tourism.