Tourism in Hail Province

Tourism in Hail Province, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, relies on several natural, cultural, historical, and heritage components. Within its territories, landmarks dating back to different eras, extending from prehistoric times through various historical periods, emerge. This is accompanied by a rich urban heritage of cities and villages, containing traditional houses and palaces distinguished by their architectural and decorative styles.

Hail Province is situated in the central northern part of the Kingdom, bordered by five administrative provinces: al-Jawf, Northern Borders, Tabuk, al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, and Qassim. Hail Province stands out due to its strategic location that grants it special significance, serving as a crucial land crossing for countries situated to the north and northeast of the Kingdom.

Hail Province hosts several archaeological and tourist landmarks, including the rock art sites at Mount Umm Senman in the city of Jubbah, and Mounts Ratt and al-Manjur in the city of al-Shuwaymis, which are Saudi heritage sites registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It also includes several parks, such as Prince Saud Bin Abdulmohsen Park, covering an area of ​​one hundred thousand m, al-Maghwa Park, and al-Samra Park. Visitors also frequent the province's museums, such as the Hail Museum, al-Thuwainy Museum, al-Dwaili Museum, Found Influence from the Past Museum, al-Nayef Museum, Dehima Museum, Bidayie al-Ruwaydat Museum, in addition to Ayref Castle.

Hail Province serves as a local and global arena for motorsport, hosting the annual Hail International Rally, which is one of the rounds of the World Rally Championship.

Hail International Rally was launched in 2006 and has since garnered success and popularity both within and outside the Kingdom. The rally is held under the name 'The Great Nafud Challenge', putting Hail on the international map for rallies and global tourism.

The strategic location of Hail Province has positioned it to attract investments and establish itself as a tourist and investment destination. Studies in aviation economics have confirmed that over one hundred international airline companies traverse its airspace due to its strategic air location. Moreover, the city of Hail is recognized as the premier logistics hub in the Kingdom, situated at the nexus of global aviation and centrally located in the north of the Kingdom, connecting the northern and southern regions. It serves as a pivotal transit point for travelers journeying between the north and south and vice versa, including pilgrims from the north and northeast of Iraq, the Levant, and Turkey. Additionally, it functions as a commercial hub and a key transportation station for goods, boasting a network of highways, railways, and an international airport that facilitates connectivity with various regions within the Kingdom and neighboring countries.

The Hail International Airport in the administrative capital of Hail serves the province, handling approximately 925,082 passengers annually. There was a growth in the number of passengers and domestic flights in 2018, with an increase of 38 percent and 113 percent respectively, one year after the operational launch of the airport.

The number of hotels in Hail Province reached seven hotels in 2019, with the number of furnished residential units reaching 178 units.

Numerous entertainment, cultural, and social programs and events are held in Hail Province, attracting tourists and spread across its cities. In 2019, there were thirteen events held over fifty-four days, with a total attendance of 97,051 people.

In Hail Province, several festivals are held, such as the Hail Winter Season Festival, the Dates and Family Festival, the International Desert Festival, and the Hail Summer Festival.