Jeddah is well on its way to becoming a center for Arab tourism in the Gulf with the completion of numerous projects and the launching of several festivals, said Hassan Dahlan, deputy secretary-general of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) and chairman of the executive committee of the Hayya Jeddah festival.

He said the goal of both the Hayya Jeddah and Jeddah Heritage Festivals is to enhance the city’s status as a major tourist destination in the region.

The activities, he said, combine religious, touristic, marketing and entertainment elements to offer a unique product.

He said that the city is a promising tourist destination, thanks to the construction of tunnels and bridges and the expansion project that took place on the Corniche, which extends over an area of 45 km.

The Hayya Jeddah festival, which began on Jan. 10 and will continue for an entire month, represents an important milestone toward enhancing the city’s role as the gateway to Makkah and Madinah, he said.

He said there is strong coordination between the JCCI, the Jeddah Secretariat, and the General Authority for Tourism and Antiquities to address any cases of price fraud during the tourist season.

There is ongoing coordination between tourist resorts, hotels, furnished apartments, restaurants and parks in an effort to increase prices cuts during the festival seasons, he noted.

Awards and prizes during the Hayya Jeddah Festival are expected to be worth more than SR2 million.

These include 10 cars and more than 1,200 prizes to be distributed through raffles.

Nearly 5,000 stores across 30 commercial centers are taking part in the festival this year in an effort to appeal to more than one million visitors from Saudi Arabia and surrounding Gulf countries who have chosen Jeddah as their tourist destination during the spring vacation season.

The festival has received significant support from Makkah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Abdullah and Jeddah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Majed, who is also chairman of the Tourist Development Council.

Dahlan also praised the role and contributions of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce, the General Authority for Tourism and Antiquities, the Jeddah Municipality, and various other official bodies in the success of the events.

Dahlan said that organizers of the two festivals have succeeded in transforming the Bride of the Red Sea into a topnotch destination, specifically during January.

More than 50 activities have been set up between the festivals. These activities, he said, are being run in an integrative, rather than competitive manner. “Visitors are enjoying competitive shopping prices and numerous activities, while also having the option of performing the Umrah,” he said.

Jeddah has more than 70 recreation centers, 360 commercial center, and 105 old popular markets, he said.

He expects that the festival season will lead to a 50-percent increase in the number of visitors, reaching one million tourists, as well as returns exceeding more than SR2 billion across the tourism, shopping and hospitality sectors.

Dahlan said that prices in the Kingdom are far more competitive in comparison to other countries in the region.

He stressed that tourism in the city is an integral part of its business sector.

The retail sector itself is expected to increase sales by 70 percent during the festival period, he said.