Various malls have been organizing activities as part of the Jeddah Ghair 2010 festival. While some visitors say the festival events are outstanding, a few others say they find it a bit dull this time. “I wish the events were more entertaining for all,” said Mohammed Al-Sayeed, a Madinah resident who has not missed a single event since its inception.
The organizers on their part say not enough businesses are sponsoring activities at the festival. The Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) and Jeddah Municipality, which are organizing the Jeddah Ghair along with some other supporters, however, say this year’s festival is meeting its objectives regarding number of visitors and financial returns. “The idea in organizing Jeddah Ghair is to make the people feel that the city is different, and to that extent we have packed varieties of events in the festival,” a senior JCCI official said.
“I love folk dances and songs that instill pride in our culture and am happy watching them. I would like to thank the organizers for providing us such entertainment,” Muflak Hassan, a student at King Abdul Aziz University said. “The opening of the festival marked by colorful fireworks a few days ago on the Corniche was something to be seen and enjoyed.”
Like many other major malls, Red Sea Mall is coinciding the event with its summer shopping festival. The month long festival themed ‘Bride of the Red Sea’ is a cultural initiative being held with the support of Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal.
Through the event, the mall is reinvigorating the shopping, dining and entertainment experience for Jeddah residents with activities designed to provide optimum entertainment and value for the shopping experience. The mall, which houses more than 435 global and local brands, has created a first of its kind experience in the Kingdom by drawing on a diverse range of influences from across Egypt and other parts of the Arab world. Attractions at the mall include Egyptian Khan Al Khaleeli, an authentic souk in the heart of the mall that brings together more than 50 outlets and creates a magical experience that unites the culture, cuisine and craftsmanship of Saudi Arabia.
Activities at the mall bring popular cultural elements across the world including Asian culinary arts, graffiti and collage art, a work of formal art made from an assemblage of different forms. The event also includes daily segments of cultural folklore such as Hijazi folklore and traditional Yanbui, Arab and other global songs.
The entertainment corner includes live shows of visual effects, clowns and cartoon characters, preparation of wedding cakes and kinetic games for fathers and sons to play together, as well as a Henna corner for women. Additionally, the mall has organized workshops to estimate children’s creativity and innovations.
“At the Red Sea Mall, we have consistently supported the efforts of Jeddah and Western Province to highlight the tourism and recreation side of the city by sponsoring ongoing activities and events,” Red Sea Mall CEO Mohammed Al-Alawi said.
Similar activities are being held in other malls including Serafi, where skating and a variety of sports activities are drawing a large number of young Saudis.
As part of the festival and its summer program, Albaik kicked off its 9th Annual ‘With Albaik You Are The House Hero’ program with the registration of over 500 students recently. Aiming to provide technical and skills training for the youth in Jeddah and Makkah, the program has trained 4,000 students to date.
The summer program, which started earlier in July, featured an orientation session for the participants in the respective facilities taking place for boys in Makkah and Jeddah at the Vocational Training Institute and for girls at the Al Faisaliyah Women’s Welfare Organization. Directed at boys 12-18 years of age and girls 8-16 years of age, the summer program supports the social development in the Kingdom by giving youth the opportunity to learn how to perform simple household tasks discovering and developing their talents in order to put them on the path to a bright and fulfilling future.
The program is divided into separate training sessions for boys and girls. The boys’ sessions consist of five specialized courses: Introduction to workshop basics and car maintenance, electrical basics and safety, plumbing basics, First Aid procedures, and fire safety and prevention including instruction in home maintenance and painting.
The girls program consists of training sessions in decor, arts and crafts, basic health advice, personal grooming and etiquette, basics in home economics, physical fitness, safety and prevention, and First Aid procedures.
The program also witnesses the support and training expertise of the Saudi Red Crescent and Jeddah Civil Defense.
One out of five persons in the Gulf prefer to stay in their home countries for summer, provided entertainment is available, according to studies conducted by Abha Training Summer Festival organizers.
Abha Training Summer Festival, which is being held under the slogan “we meet for a higher aim,” is organized by SCTA and Forsan Al Hayat at the Abha International Exhibitions Centre and Abha Palace Hotel in Asir.
The festival is attracting Gulf tourists and not people just from across the Kingdom, in keeping with Asir’s efforts to be a destination for family tourism in the region.
The 11-day festival entertains visitors with diversified, multicultural and entertainment and education programs tailored to the needs of the social classes in the Gulf.
Abdul Karim Bin Salem Al Hunainy, undersecretary of Asir, says the festival is a translation of the Kingdom’s vision to invest in edutainment through well-rounded and specifically tailored tourism programs that adhere to the Arab culture and customs. “We aim to make this festival an international one in the years to come. The festival will certainly boost domestic tourism in the kingdom leveraging the natural beauty of Abha,” he added.
Abha Summer Festival includes a diversity of activities and competitions covering mind games as well and personality contests. Al Hunaini added: “We aim to enhance the position of Asir as a tourism destination on the global front by enhancing such campaigns that attracts families.”
Ali Sharab, Founder of Forsan Al Hayat, co-organizer of the festival, added: “This festival is quality-driven and all activities were meticulously planned. Apart from affordable entertainment programs, people in the Gulf want activities that adhere to their cultural values, while retaining modern elements, in an effort to motivate them to spend the summer in the Gulf, instead of going abroad. This is where Abha Festival fits in.”
