JEDDAH: Congested airports, bus stations and main roads indicate that this is the time of summer holidays, when people head for the high regions' parks in the south of the country and coastal areas and malls in Jeddah and the Eastern Province. Some travelers face many hurdles such as cancelation of flight reservations, lack of accommodation – furnished apartments and hotels – and their high “summer prices.” Several factors are likely to see domestic destinations thronged with travelers. Many countries Saudi travelers usually visit in summer are unstable and witnessing unusual events, and the cost of traveling abroad has also gone up. There are clear indications that GCC citizens will be heading this year to Asir region, Al-Baha and Taif. Okaz/Saudi Gazette met with a number of air and land travelers heading to the south who said they had been there before. Some vacationers said they were going back to Abha, where they have enjoyed its summer festival, although they are worried about high rents of furnished apartments. Some of the places lack basic requirements for receiving visitors, and some of them are located far away from malls and festivals, the vacationers added. Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi, a traveler who was with his family on way to Taif, said the streets there are congested during the summer and turn into “car marathons.” The large number of visitors also makes it hard to find a proper place to stay, he said, adding that last year he could find a decent furnished apartment after great difficulty At a Jeddah mall, a number of visitors said they were spending part of the holiday in Jeddah itself before traveling to Makkah. “Getting a furnished apartment in the Bride of the Red Sea these days is impossible,” a visitor said.
