DAMMAM, 3 January — Market reports indicate that sales during Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr holidays have been poor for traders, the hotel industry and domestic tourism in the Eastern Province. Even dairy products and beverages, which normally boom during Ramadan, experienced a decline in sales.
Worst hit have been electronic products, jewelry and furniture. Textiles, ready-made garments, cosmetics made a recovery during the last days of Ramadan and shopkeepers at crowded Swaiket, Khaled Street, Ladies Market and Rashid Mall said sales were brisk and compensated for the whole of Ramadan. They conceded, however, that the overall returns were poor compared with previous years.
Traditionally Saudi women like to buy new jewelry for Eid as do vacationing expatriates. Filipinos normally travel to their homeland in the third week of December to join their family members for New Year celebrations and buy gold ornaments as gifts. The cumulative effect of this practice is always very positive on the gold market.
However, this year reports from gold souks in Dammam as well as in Al-Khobar have been very discouraging. "It has a been a really bad year. Our sales during Ramadan were not even half of our sales last year," said sales executive of Al-Mulhim Jewelers in Al-Khobar.
Many Saudi and affluent expatriate families change their old furniture for new in Ramadan. Previously, there has been big demand for American and Italian furniture but for the last two years, local-made furniture has been overtaking the American and Italian furniture market.
This year, despite big promotional offers by several furniture shops at Dammam International Market, sales never reached targets. "Sales were disappointing," the famous Al-Dulijan Furniture admitted.
Hotels, though optimistic due to extension of Eid holidays in the government departments and schools, reported a setback, not receiving the guests they expected. However, worst hit were furnished apartments and tourist resorts. Few chalets were taken at Half Moon Bay, despite the fact the rates were slashed drastically to attract tourists from Riyadh and other neighboring areas.
Attractions like King Fahd Park, Prince Muhammad ibn Fahd Park at Half Moon Bay, Aziziayh Beach, Dammam Corniche, Ahsa Caves and even King Fahd Causeway registered fewer visitors this year compared with previous years.
More baffling is the fact that this year fewer people traveled abroad. Airlines reported a sharp decline in traffic. "This report has made us optimistic that sales will improve this year as many people will be in the city this Eid. What happened to all these people we don't know," traders say.
Some traders feel that many expatriates and Saudi families traveled to Jeddah and the holy cities for Eid.
Initially businessmen decided to open their shops during Eid holidays, but poor market response during the last days of Eid pushed them to reverse their decision. Once again people visiting Dammam and Al-Khobar during Eid holidays were disappointed as most of the shops in traditional market remained closed. "Our sole solace was Rashid Mall and Waha Mall," said a visitor from Riyadh.
