DAMMAM: Officials in the hospitality sector in the Eastern Province predict an 80 to 90 percent occupancy rate, but believe the high temperatures forecast for the summer will pose a major challenge to attracting tourists to the region during the summer holidays.

They urge all those involved or interests in tourist activities to encourage visitors to the region.

Offers by shops, hotels and furnished apartments, even restaurants, could help attract tourists to the region during the summer holidays, they say, which, in turn, will spur greater spending and economic movement.

Temperatures expected to reach 50 degrees Celsius may, however, put a damper on plans to attract visitors to the region, as well as discourage residents from going out and spending.

Salem Al-Harthi, who owns a furnished apartment building, said that in view of the climatic conditions, reservations are satisfactory; he also believes that most visitors and residents will be attracted to indoor areas, such as shopping malls and entertainment centers.

He said the hospitality sector in the region is developing rapidly, with more rooms offered every year, yet high prices are still discouraging visitors to the region as well as big cities around the kingdom.

The eastern region is attractive because of the availability of commercial complexes, trees that make high temperatures more bearable, and mini-resorts that contain many attractive features for visitors.

Abdullah Al-Qahtani, an official at a local commercial center, said commercial complexes plan to work at full capacity during the holidays, due to the high temperatures forecast, and this will put more pressure on complexes and indoor entertainment centers.

Tourism programs held in the region during the holiday period are “similar to last year’s”, he said, adding that the SCTNH recently launched programs for Eid and the summer season in different parts of the kingdom.

A recent report issued by the SCTNH for the 1436-1437 AH showed 250 different initiatives and programs that include visits to tourist and antiquities sites, museums and architectural heritage sites, display of handicrafts, exhibitions and conferences, as of the month of Ramadan.

The report indicated that a number of tourism fields will be further developed, as the SCTNH branches have been working in different parts of the Kingdom with partners since 1429 AH to develop four strategic tourist areas, focusing on the Red Sea, the mountains, the desert and the Arabian Gulf.

These four areas offer 52 tourist initiatives in different parts of the country, all concerned with improving tourist facilities and services.

As of last Shaaban, 80 percent of the work has been completed.

Jameel Al-Sada, an investor in the entertainment sector, said work is currently continuing based on expectations that tourist rates will be the same as last year, especially since visitors know that temperatures will not be dramatically different from those in other areas of the kingdom and that many entertainment facilities are offered indoors.