“The organizing committee of the Hayya Jeddah Shopping Festival 2012 has been preparing for the festival well in advance and is focusing on providing quality events that match the soaring reputation of Jeddah as a pioneering city of festivals not only in the region but on an international level,” Chairman of the Jeddah Marketing Center Loay Nazir told Arab News.
“A special feature of the Kingdom’s tourism sector is that its environment covers religion, nature, amusements and shopping, a situation seldom observed in other countries,” Nazir said.
He also stressed the importance of the festival, which starts on Jan. 18, in terms of finding jobs for Saudis.
“More than 70 amusement areas in Jeddah are run by Saudi youths and enjoy a relatively high Saudization level,” he said.
He added that the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry insisted on achieving the international standard for the shopping festival’s activities especially after Jeddah was described as the city of international conferences and exhibitions. “Festivals in the city have been attracting millions of tourists annually,” he said, adding that the shopping festival would also present tourist, amusement and cultural programs apart from contests and games.
It will also organize aquatic sports, colorful folk performances and optical illusion shows apart from acrobatic feats and stage performances.
The events will be staged in commercial centers and at different points on the beach.
He said admission is free, unlike previous events. The fee has been cancelled in line with the policy of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities to promote domestic tourism.
“However the cancellation of the entrance fee will not affect the quality of the programs,” he added.
The festival will also offer discount sales with markdowns of up to 70 percent. “With more than SR12 billion ($3.2 billion) invested in tourism, Jeddah has achieved a leading position in the Kingdom’s tourism map,” he said.
The market experts also expect a higher turnout of visitors, guaranteeing greater spending on shopping in 2012 compared to past years.
