JEDDAH: Governor of Makkah Prince Khaled Al-Faisal will officially inaugurate the annual Jeddah summer festival on Wednesday.
The inauguration of the festival, entitled Jeddah Ghair (or Jeddah Is Different) Festival 29, will be held at Obhur and will herald the launch of over 250 events and activities over 45 days across the city.
The festival will, for the first time, include a Jeddah card games contest, French and German acrobatic shows, male fashion shows, a snow festival and an extreme sports show.
Saleh Al-Turki, chairman of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), said Jeddah is expected to receive more than three million domestic and foreign visitors this summer.
“The vacation period is usually the perfect time for visitors to come for pilgrimage and spend a few days in Jeddah at the same time,” he said.
He added that the activities and events at this year’s summer festival is different to previous years, as they have been organized according to a well thought-out strategy in order to boost the city’s development.
He added that the festival is aimed at all members of society and supports domestic tourism in a way that complies with Saudi culture.
Al-Turki said that more than SR15 billion was spent on tourism related projects around the Kingdom in the last couple of years — a spending that reflects a solid tourism base equivalent to other major countries.
He added that according to economic experts, Jeddah would generate more than SR3 billion in revenue during the summer. “All organizing and participating bodies have finalized their preparations for this year’s summer festival, which is expected to be different,” he noted.
Wail Yamani, director of the festival, said the event, which is mainly being organized by the JCCI, would include many activities suitable for people of both genders and all ages.
He added that the renowned Saudi singer Mohammed Abdou will be performing at a music concert on July 17 at the Jeddah International Exhibitions Center.
He said that the JCCI would also host a number of lectures and social gatherings to highlight topics such as social development and family support.
Other events, he said, would include children’s plays, folklore shows, an international circus, fireworks displays, sports activities and contests. Further events will be advertised in the local media.
City authorities have approved an action plan to welcome the visitors. The plan includes maintenance, hygiene control and new public facilities to cater to the needs of the large number of visitors flowing into the city, said a municipal official.
Cleaning work will intensify and more teams will to monitor restaurants and other food outlets around the city.
