JEDDAH, 5 September 2004 — With the end of the vacation season, marked by the reopening of schools for a new academic session, the city is returning to a new period of hectic activity.
Shopping malls and outlets, which generally had a low turnout of shoppers during the vacation season, is now geared to meet the rush of parents and students. Especially upbeat are bookstores and stationery dealers who hope to do good business in the coming days.
Some of the international schools reopened last week and some others yesterday, including International Indian School, Jeddah (IISJ). Saudi schools resume their new academic session next week.
More than 9,000 children, including 4,500 boys, were present in their segregated sections when the classes resumed after vacation yesterday, according to IISJ’s Acting Director and Principal E.K. Mohammed Shaffi. “All of our 500 teachers, barring a couple of them, reported for work on the opening day,” he said.
Exhibitions are a key element of the new season, which begins with the annual COMMTEL show at the Jeddah International Exhibition & Convention Center from Sept. 12-16. This is the 19th international edition for computing, the Internet, office equipment and accessories, business communications and mobile phones, organized by Al-Harithy Company for Exhibitions Ltd. (ACE).
“The show is expected to draw an unprecedented response both from traders and professionals, as the world of computers is progressing rapidly and demand from both business and education sectors is increasing by leaps and bounds,” a spokesman for ACE said yesterday.
The rest of 2004 will also see ACE’s other annual exhibitions, including 4th international book fair from Oct. 27-Nov. 5, and the 26th edition of international motor show incorporating events for volume production vehicles, performance and motor sport vehicles, motorcycles, and auto parts, car accessories and garage equipment, in addition to offroad and 4x4 vehicles in two phases between Nov. 28 and Dec. 17.
Trade Exhibitions & Conferences Ltd. (TRADE-X Arabia) is organizing ASTEX Jeddah 2004, an Arabian security and safety technology exhibition, at Jeddah Hilton form Dec. 13 to 16. “This will be the only international specialized show of its kind dedicated to the Kingdom’s internal security and safety needs,” says Adel A. Shakoor on behalf of the organizers.
Following this event will be Saudi real estate development and investment exhibition and conference at the same venue from Dec. 19 to 23. “This show is anxiously awaited due to the continuing boom in the real estate sector,” Shakoor said. “While several real estate projects worth SR900 billion are in various stages of execution across the Kingdom, an estimated SR117 billion will be required to be invested annually in this sector,” he added.
On the sporting side, a number of events are lined up. Among them are the 14th Perrier Open Tennis Classic, which starts at the Albilad Hotel Golden Tulip courts that will run for over a month from Sept. 9, and LG’s first table tennis tournament in the Eastern Province from Sept. 16-17.
