Saudi Arabia seeks Islamic tourism boost in test for heritage, traditionMECCA/RIYADH (Reuters) - A few steps away from Mecca s Grand Mosque, a dozen empty towers rise into the sky above the holy city visited by millions of Muslim pilgrims every year. Hilton and Marriott logos adorn the site, heralding the $3.2 billion Jabal Omar complex that is being built to bring hotels, restaurants and luxury malls to the pilgrimage experience.  All these hotels and buildings around the mosque will bring more business, God willing,  said Awad al-Arshani, beckoning customers into his Dates of the Two Holy Mosques shop. Pilgrimage is the backbone of a plan to expand tourism under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman s economic reform program, announced a year ago to diversify the economy away from oil. The haj, a journey every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it must perform once in a lifetime, is a profound experience for those who undertake it. It is also big business for Saudi Arabia. The haj and the year-round lesser pilgrimage, umrah, generate $12 billion in revenues from worshippers  lodging, transport, gifts, food and fees, according to BMI Research. But there are still big questions about how Saudi Arabia will cater to its most active tourism market, especially as the kingdom eschews tourist visas. Pilgrimage visas currently bar travel outside the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Authorities plan to relax the restrictions, but have not specified to what extent and have raised the visa cost for return pilgrims to more than $500. Most of the kingdom s tourism development so far targets the affluent end of the market, while the biggest and fastest-growing pilgrim populations come from modest means. Additionally, worshipping at shrines is considered idolatry under Saudi Arabia s austere official Wahhabi school of Islam and it is unclear which Islamic historical sites pilgrims might be lured to after years of neglect. The Saudi tourism commission has pledged to rehabilitate four sites in Mecca: Jabal al-Nour, Jabal Thawr, Hudaybiyyah and Mohammed s migration path from Mecca to Medina. But there is scant sign of any restoration in Mecca so far, said Irfan Alawi, founder of the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation. Religious police still sit outside some of the sites, shooing away pilgrims with warnings about idolatry, he said. Dozens of other sites were demolished to make way for the redevelopment. Pilgrims comprise the bulk of Saudi Arabia s 20 million annual foreign visitors, apart from workers and business travelers. Nearly 2.4 million came for this year s haj, up from 1.9 million last year, and 7.5 million performed umrah in 2016. Officials aim to increase the number of umrah and haj pilgrims to 15 million and 5 million respectively by 2020, and hope to double the umrah number again to 30 million by 2030. In addition, they hope pilgrims will be attracted to spend money at museums, luxury resorts and historical sites. Some pilgrims are encouraged by the moves.  We love this country because it s the cradle of Islam, the land of the revelation and the Prophet, peace be upon him,  Nasser al-Zein, a Turkish-German car dealer from Frankfurt, told Reuters as he performed haj.  We d love to spend our money here, more than in the West. Here, it s an Islamic country.  Others find the costs prohibitive.  The problem is the visa. If they were to extend it perhaps we could stay and visit places other than Mecca and Medina,  said Zawaoui Daraji, 50, a trader from Algeria.  The hotels charge you 25,000 riyals ($6,666.31) for your stay. It s too much for us,  he said. Such concerns have not deterred Saudi officials. Long before last year s reform announcement, they began investing tens of billions of dollars in mega-hotels, public transit and a Grand Mosque expansion in Mecca. The $15 billion Abraj al-Beit golden clocktower complex, completed in 2011 with seven towers of hotels and malls, already looms over the mosque. Joining it soon will be 40 new towers from the Jabal Omar development, begun in 2008, and the $3.5 billion Abraj Kudai complex, which will be the world s largest hotel and come complete with four rooftop helipads. A new airport in Jeddah and the high-speed Haramain rail system, both set to open next year, will whisk visitors between cities along the Red Sea Coast. Despite a funding crunch for existing projects in the last year, authorities have announced new leisure mega-projects outside the holy cities. One of these, the Faisaliah project, will run from Mecca s edge out to the Red Sea. It aims to attract 10 million visitors to seaside getaways and Islamic research centers by 2050. Further north, the Red Sea Project hopes to attract luxury travellers to island resorts and pre-Islamic ruins in a closed visa-free zone. The King Abdullah Economic City, one of the stops on the rail line, is planning resorts and theme parks, too. worldnews
saudi arabia seeks islamic tourism boost test heritage reuters a steps away mecca grand mosque dozen empty towers rise sky holy city visited millions muslim pilgrims every year hilton marriott logos adorn site heading billion cabal omar complex built bring hotels restaurants luxury malls pilgrimage experience all hotels buildings around mosque bring business god willing said away reckoning customers dates two holy mosques shop pilgrimage backbone plan expand tourism crown prince mohammed bin salman economic reform program announced year ago diversify economy away oil the has journey every muslim afford must perform lifetime profound experience undertake it also big business saudi arabia the has lesser pilgrimage mural generate billion revenues worshippers lodging transport gifts food fees according bmi research but still big questions saudi arabia cater active tourism market especially kingdom screws tourist visas pilgrimage visas currently bar travel outside holy cities mecca medina authorities plan relax restrictions specified extent raised visa cost return pilgrims most kingdom tourism development far targets affluent end market biggest pilgrim populations come modest means additionally worshipping shrines considered idolator saudi arabia austere official wahhabi school islam unclear islamic historical sites pilgrims might lured years neglect the saudi tourism commission pledged rehabilitate four sites mecca cabal cabal thaw hudaybiyyah mohammed migration path mecca medina but scant sign restoration mecca far said iran malawi founder islamic heritage research foundation religious police still sit outside sites showing away pilgrims warnings idolator said dozens sites demolished make way redevelopment pilgrims comprise bulk saudi arabia million annual foreign visitors apart workers business travelers nearly million came year has million last year million performed mural officials aim increase number mural has pilgrims million million respectively hope double mural number million in addition hope pilgrims attracted spend money museums luxury resorts historical sites some pilgrims encouraged moves we love country cradle islam land revelation prophet peace upon passer car dealer frankfurt told reuters performed has we love spend money west here islamic country others find costs prohibitive the problem visa if extend perhaps could stay visit places mecca medina said zawaoui dari trader algeria the hotels charge rivals stay it much us said such concerns deferred saudi officials long last year reform announcement began investing tens billions dollars public transit grand mosque expansion mecca the billion abroad golden clocktower complex completed seven towers hotels malls already looms mosque joining soon new towers cabal omar development begun billion abroad kai complex world largest hotel come complete four rooftop helipads a new airport jeddah haramain rail system set open next year whisky visitors cities along red sea coast despite funding crunch existing projects last year authorities announced new leisure outside holy cities one faisaliah project run mecca edge red sea it aims attract million visitors seaside getaway islamic research centers further north red sea project hopes attract luxury travellers island resorts ruins closed zone the king abdullah economic city one stops rail line planning resorts theme parks worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Saudi Arabia seeks Islamic tourism boost in test for heritage, traditionMECCA/RIYADH (Reuters) - A few steps away from Mecca s Grand Mosque, a dozen empty towers rise into the sky above the holy city visited by millions of Muslim pilgrims every year. Hilton and Marriott logos adorn the site, heralding the $3.2 billion Jabal Omar complex that is being built to bring hotels, restaurants and luxury malls to the pilgrimage experience.  All these hotels and buildings around the mosque will bring more business, God willing,  said Awad al-Arshani, beckoning customers into his Dates of the Two Holy Mosques shop. Pilgrimage is the backbone of a plan to expand tourism under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman s economic reform program, announced a year ago to diversify the economy away from oil. The haj, a journey every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it must perform once in a lifetime, is a profound experience for those who undertake it. It is also big business for Saudi Arabia. The haj and the year-round lesser pilgrimage, umrah, generate $12 billion in revenues from worshippers  lodging, transport, gifts, food and fees, according to BMI Research. But there are still big questions about how Saudi Arabia will cater to its most active tourism market, especially as the kingdom eschews tourist visas. Pilgrimage visas currently bar travel outside the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Authorities plan to relax the restrictions, but have not specified to what extent and have raised the visa cost for return pilgrims to more than $500. Most of the kingdom s tourism development so far targets the affluent end of the market, while the biggest and fastest-growing pilgrim populations come from modest means. Additionally, worshipping at shrines is considered idolatry under Saudi Arabia s austere official Wahhabi school of Islam and it is unclear which Islamic historical sites pilgrims might be lured to after years of neglect. The Saudi tourism commission has pledged to rehabilitate four sites in Mecca: Jabal al-Nour, Jabal Thawr, Hudaybiyyah and Mohammed s migration path from Mecca to Medina. But there is scant sign of any restoration in Mecca so far, said Irfan Alawi, founder of the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation. Religious police still sit outside some of the sites, shooing away pilgrims with warnings about idolatry, he said. Dozens of other sites were demolished to make way for the redevelopment. Pilgrims comprise the bulk of Saudi Arabia s 20 million annual foreign visitors, apart from workers and business travelers. Nearly 2.4 million came for this year s haj, up from 1.9 million last year, and 7.5 million performed umrah in 2016. Officials aim to increase the number of umrah and haj pilgrims to 15 million and 5 million respectively by 2020, and hope to double the umrah number again to 30 million by 2030. In addition, they hope pilgrims will be attracted to spend money at museums, luxury resorts and historical sites. Some pilgrims are encouraged by the moves.  We love this country because it s the cradle of Islam, the land of the revelation and the Prophet, peace be upon him,  Nasser al-Zein, a Turkish-German car dealer from Frankfurt, told Reuters as he performed haj.  We d love to spend our money here, more than in the West. Here, it s an Islamic country.  Others find the costs prohibitive.  The problem is the visa. If they were to extend it perhaps we could stay and visit places other than Mecca and Medina,  said Zawaoui Daraji, 50, a trader from Algeria.  The hotels charge you 25,000 riyals ($6,666.31) for your stay. It s too much for us,  he said. Such concerns have not deterred Saudi officials. Long before last year s reform announcement, they began investing tens of billions of dollars in mega-hotels, public transit and a Grand Mosque expansion in Mecca. The $15 billion Abraj al-Beit golden clocktower complex, completed in 2011 with seven towers of hotels and malls, already looms over the mosque. Joining it soon will be 40 new towers from the Jabal Omar development, begun in 2008, and the $3.5 billion Abraj Kudai complex, which will be the world s largest hotel and come complete with four rooftop helipads. A new airport in Jeddah and the high-speed Haramain rail system, both set to open next year, will whisk visitors between cities along the Red Sea Coast. Despite a funding crunch for existing projects in the last year, authorities have announced new leisure mega-projects outside the holy cities. One of these, the Faisaliah project, will run from Mecca s edge out to the Red Sea. It aims to attract 10 million visitors to seaside getaways and Islamic research centers by 2050. Further north, the Red Sea Project hopes to attract luxury travellers to island resorts and pre-Islamic ruins in a closed visa-free zone. The King Abdullah Economic City, one of the stops on the rail line, is planning resorts and theme parks, too. worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: saudi arabia seeks islamic tourism boost test heritage reuters a steps away mecca grand mosque dozen empty towers rise sky holy city visited millions muslim pilgrims every year hilton marriott logos adorn site heading billion cabal omar complex built bring hotels restaurants luxury malls pilgrimage experience all hotels buildings around mosque bring business god willing said away reckoning customers dates two holy mosques shop pilgrimage backbone plan expand tourism crown prince mohammed bin salman economic reform program announced year ago diversify economy away oil the has journey every muslim afford must perform lifetime profound experience undertake it also big business saudi arabia the has lesser pilgrimage mural generate billion revenues worshippers lodging transport gifts food fees according bmi research but still big questions saudi arabia cater active tourism market especially kingdom screws tourist visas pilgrimage visas currently bar travel outside holy cities mecca medina authorities plan relax restrictions specified extent raised visa cost return pilgrims most kingdom tourism development far targets affluent end market biggest pilgrim populations come modest means additionally worshipping shrines considered idolator saudi arabia austere official wahhabi school islam unclear islamic historical sites pilgrims might lured years neglect the saudi tourism commission pledged rehabilitate four sites mecca cabal cabal thaw hudaybiyyah mohammed migration path mecca medina but scant sign restoration mecca far said iran malawi founder islamic heritage research foundation religious police still sit outside sites showing away pilgrims warnings idolator said dozens sites demolished make way redevelopment pilgrims comprise bulk saudi arabia million annual foreign visitors apart workers business travelers nearly million came year has million last year million performed mural officials aim increase number mural has pilgrims million million respectively hope double mural number million in addition hope pilgrims attracted spend money museums luxury resorts historical sites some pilgrims encouraged moves we love country cradle islam land revelation prophet peace upon passer car dealer frankfurt told reuters performed has we love spend money west here islamic country others find costs prohibitive the problem visa if extend perhaps could stay visit places mecca medina said zawaoui dari trader algeria the hotels charge rivals stay it much us said such concerns deferred saudi officials long last year reform announcement began investing tens billions dollars public transit grand mosque expansion mecca the billion abroad golden clocktower complex completed seven towers hotels malls already looms mosque joining soon new towers cabal omar development begun billion abroad kai complex world largest hotel come complete four rooftop helipads a new airport jeddah haramain rail system set open next year whisky visitors cities along red sea coast despite funding crunch existing projects last year authorities announced new leisure outside holy cities one faisaliah project run mecca edge red sea it aims attract million visitors seaside getaway islamic research centers further north red sea project hopes attract luxury travellers island resorts ruins closed zone the king abdullah economic city one stops rail line planning resorts theme parks worldnews