- Title: SAUDI ARABIA: Summer festival expects to attract 1.5 million visitors to Jeddah
- Date: 10th June 2013
- Summary: JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA (JUNE 5, 2013) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic), MAZEN BATTERJEE, VICE CHAIRMAN OF JEDDAH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, SAYING: "Last year there were one million one hundred thousand visitors, this year and because the holiday is short, and because the countries of where Saudis go on holiday are unstable, for this, many people come here, not only the tourists from inside the kingdom, but also the Gulf countries who also used to visit the neighbouring countries will also come to Jeddah." JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA (JUNE 6, 2013) (REUTERS ) AUDIENCE JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA (JUNE 5, 2013) (REUTERS ) FIREWORKS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MAJED AL-HARBI, VISITOR FROM QASSIM, SAYING: "As we can see on what is called 'The Arab Spring', the security and stability. Thank God we have in our country parks and many good things and many, many things better than the outside." JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA (JUNE 6, 2013) (REUTERS) CHILDREN AT THE FESTIVAL (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SAUDI BOY (NO NAME GIVEN), SAYING: "Jeddah is (Ghair) different, and we came to see things and to enjoy the activities." CHILDREN SAYING GOOD-BYE
- Embargoed: 25th June 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Saudi Arabia
- Country: Saudi Arabia
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA74G49F35BI6LY0AINS1PDF992
- Story Text: Jeddah's 34th annual summer festival is underway in the Red Sea Saudi city, with organisers expecting to attract one and a half million visitors to the event.
Jeddah Ghair (Jeddah is Different) was inaugurated by Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of the Mecca region on Wednesday (June 5).
More than 150 different cultural, sports and entertainment events will be held over the month across the city before the holy month of Ramadan.
360 shopping centres, 70 fun parks and resorts, 200 companies and 50 government departments were supporting the festival, the Saudi Gazette reported.
Prizes including 15 cars and a villa worth 1.5 million Saudi Riyals (400,000 U.S. Dollars) will be awarded during the festival.
The event is the largest held in the kingdom, with the highest number of visitor attractions. Event organisers say the festival also provides large investment opportunities to investors in the tourism sector with the support of the Mecca Governorate, Jeddah governorate and the the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA).
The Chamber of Commerce expects more visitors this year because of the unstable security situation in some Arab nations.
"Last year there were one million one hundred thousand visitors, this year and because the holiday is short, and because the countries of where Saudis go on holiday are unstable, for this, many people come here, not only the tourists from inside the kingdom, but also the Gulf countries who also used to visit the neighbouring countries will also come to Jeddah," said Mazen Batterjee, Vice Chairman of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The programme involves special activities for families, children and youths and is expected to bring in an estimated one billion Saudi Riyals to the city coffers, the Saudi Gazette reported. Visitors are expected to fill 7,000 hotel rooms and 25,000 furnished housing units.
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