“Jeddah Ghair 34,” the annual summer festival, which is expected to attract over 1.5 million visitors this year, augurs well for the provincial economy and domestic tourism in the Kingdom as a whole with occupancy rates in hotels going up significantly and benefits to local industries.

The month-long festival, which kicked off on June 6 with much enthusiasm at Al Hamra beach on South Corniche, provides good investment opportunities since the port city is the commercial hub of the Kingdom. “Visitors to Jeddah during the festival spend over SR 4 billion on hotels and restaurants, and the numbers are increasing on an average by 10 to 20 percent every year, proving that the city is emerging fast as a favorite tourism destination among other Gulf cities,” Yassin Al Jaffri, an economic expert and dean of Prince Sultan College for Tourism told Arab News.

The summer fest provides a great occasion and opportunity not only to Saudi citizens and expatriates but also people from the neighboring countries who can enjoy shopping and various entertainment programs besides the hospitality at hotels and resorts. Retail sales last year registered a whopping 70 percent growth, and it was expected to be much higher this year with the participation of 2,000 shops and six malls.

The festival, organized by the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, also plays an important role in generating tourism revenue for the city.

Several public and private companies join hands with these bodies to make the event a success.

According to data from the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) in 2012, there were 192 hotels, 670 furnished apartments, 76 tourist resorts, 14 entertainment parks, 205 malls, 15 museums, 90 sports centers, 194 travel agencies, 84 car rental agencies and 480 restaurants to entertain and serve visitors. The administration has also spent over SR 12 billion on tourism projects in the past few years.

Jeddah has many tourist attractions, including its 100 km-long developed coastline, museums, historical sites, recreational centers for families and children and large shopping centers in addition to five-star hotels with comfortable facilities and large conference halls.

Jeddah beaches also provide a perfect setting for outdoor activities, with residents’ favorites being Durat Alarous, Alremal, Shums, Bait Albahar, Salhia, Family Cabins and Alnakhil. The Red Sea is refreshingly cool when compared to outside temperatures and the marine life of its waters and many offshore coral reefs is outstanding. All the usual water sports are available along the coast including diving, snorkeling, windsurfing and jet skiing.