RIYADH, 11 June 2006 — The Riyadh Festival for Shopping and Leisure is set to begin on Wednesday. Announcing the event at a press conference at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry yesterday, Abdul Aziz Al-Magoushi, assistant secretary-general of RCCI, told reporters that the festival, which is going to take place for the second time, is geared to attract a larger crowd than last year.
“The purpose of organizing the festival is to provide entertainment for families who are in the Kingdom during the summer holidays,” Al-Magoushi said, adding that the idea is also to promote domestic tourism.
The event is organized by the RCCI in cooperation with the Supreme Commission for Tourism and Riyadh Municipality.
He indicated that more than 400 educational, recreational and leisure events have been lined up for a period of four weeks to entertain Saudi and expatriate families.
Magoushi said Riyadh has plenty of unique features that could attract people from other parts of the Kingdom. “Although we cannot bring the sea to the capital, the city’s flyovers, its suburbs with water courses, ancient forts, high-rise buildings, theme parks and shopping malls are special attractions,” he said.
He added that most of these facilities would be designed to provide the best of entertainment for the visitors.
“Last year, the festival was for three weeks and this year we extended it to one month because of the unprecedented response we got from the public,” he said, pointing out that almost all the hotels and apartments were full during that period.
He said that a special website and a phone-in service will be made available for the public to tell them of the facilities and concessions available for the visitors in shopping centers and theme parks.
Colorful illuminations and decorations in shopping malls and public places will thrust the city into a festive mood, he concluded.
