Al-Ahsa was recently named Arab Tourism Capital for 2019 by the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism The General Authority for Culture organized a number of cultural events in Al-Ahsa last week. The activities include workshops, art exhibitions and traditional Al-Ahsa music. These events are part of the Kingdom’s efforts to promote Saudi culture and tourism. Vision 2030 envisages transformation of Saudi Arabia into a local and global tourism hub. Al-Ahsa was recently named Arab Tourism Capital for 2019 by the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism. Al-Ahsa is also home to the largest oasis in the Kingdom, which has had human settlements from the Neolithic times. It is one of the many sites in the Kingdom to be awarded UNESCO’s World Heritage Site status. Al-Ahsa Oasis includes the Jawatha archaeological site including Jawatha Mosque dating back to the Qarmatain state in the 9th century and Al Hazm Palace. Tombs can be seen in several parts of the oasis dating back to ancient civilizations. Al-Ahsa gets its name from the nature of its land; in Arabic, Al-Ahsa is a plural word of “Al-Hisa” which refers to the accumulated sand with a solid base underneath. When it rains, the sand prevents the sun from drying up the water. There are around 60 to 70 springs of freshwater around the oasis.