RIYADH: Economic prospects in Saudi Arabia’s Al-Qassim province are poised for a boost with the unveiling of five new investment opportunities by its municipality, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The Qassim municipality has provided the capital outlay to empower private sector establishments, aiming to spur development and stimulate the region’s economy. According to the SPA report, the municipality will actively encourage a maximum number of entrepreneurs to participate in these investment opportunities. In September, the National Housing Co. launched the Azyan Buraydah project in Buraydah, Al-Qassim. According to a statement released at the time, the project is part of a series of plans being developed by the company in cooperation with the Bin Jarallah Co. for Trading and Contracting. NHC aims to establish additional residential projects with comprehensive development to meet the aspirations of families and contribute to increasing home ownership, the statement added at the time. In January, Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb said that real estate works in Al-Qassim is set to boost the Kingdom’s rural tourism. Speaking during a panel at the Real Estate Future Forum in Riyadh then, Al-Khateeb explained that any citizen who has a house or a farm in either Al-Qassim province can offer it on the tourist rural hotel system’s platform for rent and development and the Tourism Development Fund will provide the needed financing. Al-Qassim Gov. Prince Faisal bin Mishaal at that time highlighted the province’s role in achieving sustainable development in propelling the nation. “We hope that Al-Qassim is going to be an attractive place for rural tourism,” Prince Faisal said. The province also poses a good investment opportunity for rural tourism given its vast lands, rich in soil and cut off from the sea. “The atmosphere in the city is completely different from the atmosphere in the countryside. Tourists from America, Europe, and Asia actually become very bored from the city and want to get rid of the rush hours and the heavy traffic. They really want to spend one day during the weekend, for example, in a calm place and a quieter place,” the governor elaborated at the time.