JEDDAH, 7 February 2004 — Jeddah enjoyed a post-Haj business boom last weekend as pilgrims hunted for bargains before heading home. However, it was not to the shopping malls of north Jeddah or the chic retail outlets of Tahlia Street that the pilgrims headed, but rather the souks of downtown Jeddah.
Pilgrims from all over the world swelled the streets of the old city, making it look the most cosmopolitan city in the world. They were busy shopping, busy eating, busy talking to each other, or just taking it all in and promenading with ear-to-ear smiles.
A major attraction for the pilgrims was Souk Al-Alawi street market which winds through much of old Jeddah.
“This is my third Haj, I always stop by the Balad,” Abdul-Ghani, an Nigerian pilgrim told Arab News. “There are things here that I can’t find anywhere else.”
In his shopping bags were Afghan rugs and saffron from Iran.
Yemeni jeweler Abdul-Khalig says business often doubles during and after the Haj season. “It is one of the most profitable periods; it is a magnet for visitors,” he said. He believes the reason pilgrims head to the Balad is that downtown Jeddah is more attuned to the pilgrims’ shopping needs. Prices are more competitive and the art of bargaining with pilgrims is better understood.
Also doing a roaring trade in Jeddah are vendors with counterfeit products. Groups of pilgrims were seen over the weekend huddled around street hawkers, trying on fake designer sunglasses. The air was thick with deals as pilgrims bought handbags, baseball caps, denim clothing, and watches, not caring if they were genuine or not, which at the price being offered for supposed Rolex watches, they certainly were not.
A major reason why so many Haj pilgrims flock to Al-Balad is that besides the souks, it is home to Jeddah’s largest public transport depot.
“Buses come in from all over the Kingdom and from around the region,” a Saudi Public Transport Company (SAPTCO) employee said. SAPTCO operates regular international bus services between the Kingdom and the neighboring countries of Jordan, Syria, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Turkey.
It also assigns about 2,000 buses every Haj season for services to and within the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. Pilgrims, he said, often use the place as a meeting point, especially if they are lost.
