DAMMAM, 15 October 2007 — More than 250,000 Saudis and expatriates are expected to cross the causeway linking Saudi Arabia and Bahrain by the end of Eid Al-Fitr holidays, according to officials at the General Organization for the King Fahd Causeway.
They said at least 50,000 people are crossing the causeway every day since the beginning of Eid on Friday. They also expected that more than 120,000 cars would cross the bridge during the weeklong holiday.
The organization will receive a total of SR7.2 million from car owners as toll revenue for crossing the bridge. The toll is SR40 each way. Drivers should also pay SR15 to SR20 as insurance fee.
Bahrain, which enjoys good weather these days, draws a large number of tourists and holidaymakers from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. The island state has organized a variety of events to attract Gulf tourists.
Sources in Bahrain’s hotel and tourism industry said they expected every family to spend nearly SR1,000 daily, including housing and food charges.
They estimated individual spending at SR250 per day. “This means Gulf citizens vacationing in Bahrain will spend about SR5 million daily and a total of SR62 million in five days,” one executive said, adding that Saudis would account for the lion’s share of 80 percent of this amount.
