More than 100 permits have been issued for malls to hold events that are part of the Jeddah Ghair 2011 Festival. The aim is to create competition between these centers to attract customers. Adnan Mandoura, Secretary General of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), said the centers will diversify their events to align themselves with the spirituality of the blessed month of Ramadan. They will present some old characters like the Misahharati, a man whose job it was to wake people for Suhoor in the old days; the Hakawati, the story teller; and other ancient characters. The summer festival is expected to attract more than four million visitors to Jeddah. It is being held over 70 days, the longest of any festival in the Kingdom. The presence of more than 200 malls and shopping centers in Jeddah indicate this commercial city's position and ability to provide for shoppers and tourists from the Kingdom and the Gulf region. These centers have competitions and events at malls that focus on children, which helps to attract families, he said. He said the chamber's Jeddah Center for Forums and Events (JCFE) will start introducing competitions, gifts for children and families and traditional meals for free from Ramadan 11 to 30. Mandoura said great effort is being made to ensure the event succeeds. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah, said he would be working on private and public sector cooperation to help the festival contribute to the country's tourism industry, said Mandoura. Abdurraheem Al-Safah, the JCCI's Director of Tourism and Events, estimated that there are 12 “old markets” in Jeddah which have “traditional clothes and artifacts that people usually buy as a souvenirs”. “In Al-Balad area visitors can find several traditional markets with reasonable prices including Al-Haraj, Annada, Al-Khaskiya, Al-Thahab, Al-Badu, Al-Alawi, and Qabel,” he said. Large malls are spread all over the city. Some have argued that there are too many malls and that they should be reduced. __
