DAMMAM: The Eastern Province’s Fourth Maritime Heritage Festival at the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Park on the waterfront has created 1,800 jobs for citizens this year, 300 more than last year.

This is according to the festival’s director, Muqbil Al-Muqbil, who said that the work involved constructing the village and theater, and marketing and selling of traditional products.

This year’s event will see the participation of 15 handicraft manufacturers, traditional performers and sailors. It is being held under the auspices of Eastern Province Gov. Prince Saud bin Naif, chairman of the Tourism Development Council, from March 10.

Mishal Al-Aqeel, assistant undersecretary of the Eastern Province municipality for developmental affairs, said the Eastern Province governor sponsored the festival in partnership with the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH) and other parties.

Abdul Lateef Al-Bonaian, director general of the SCTNH in the Eastern Province, said the aim is to attract as many people as possible, to boost tourism in the region. About 16 government bodies are participating in the 10-day festival, which is attended by thousands of visitors from the Kingdom and the Gulf States, he said.

Last year, the festival attracted nearly 500,000 visitors, 40 percent of them tourists from 21 regions of the Kingdom and the Gulf Cooperation Council, with hotels and other accommodation recording 100 percent occupancy, he said.

Abdulrahman Al-Mudairs, director general of the education department in the region, said there has been significant partnerships developed over the past three years with various parts of the community, including encouraging a great deal of volunteer work.

He said there have been over 600 students who had been trained to help set up the festival, under the guidance of teachers. This has helped to develop a spirit of unity in the community, he said.