DAMMAM, 8 September 2005 — The terrorist activity that took place for three days in the Eastern Province paralyzed the entertainment industry on the Dammam Corniche. Shops and restaurants in the area reported considerable financial damage with the total losses estimated at more than SR5 million.
Customers and visitors stayed away because of safety concerns. And to keep crowds away from danger zone, security forces cordoned off the area isolating stores, restaurants and recreation centers.
This summer, more than one million visitors, most of them from Riyadh and Qasim regions, came to the Eastern Province. Since the beginning of the vacation three months ago, the Corniche has received about 10,000 visitors a day on weekdays and more at weekends. The area is home for many of the city’s major attractions including Al-Hukair Land, Dolphin, Tea Time and Fun Time in addition to a cluster of shopping centers.
Stores in the area of the shooting are expected to offer discounts on their stock to attract customers again. Owners interviewed talked about the huge financial losses to them at a crucial business time just before the reopening of schools next week.
