MAEENA In anticipation of the approaching summer holidays, the chambers of commerce in our country's major cities are embarking on an aggressive drive to attract tourists and their families with all kinds of lures. They are targeting Saudis and residents who could and would spend time and money exploring the different regions of the country, some for cultural or historical reasons and others for pursuits of a religious nature. Jeddah is expected to be the major draw among the Kingdom's premier cities during these summer months. Whether it is Jeddah's geographical location by the Red Sea, or the somewhat relaxed and diverse nature of its inhabitants that draws people in, the fact remains that come the summer holidays, hundreds of thousands if not millions will journey to the city. While running their promotions for summer festivals, the Chamber of Commerce should also consider what some of the basic needs of tourists are. I would venture to put forth an educated guess that decent and affordable accommodation would be high on their list. If a family of four to six persons is to be encouraged to stay in Jeddah longer, then there must be an end to the price gouging of furnished flats and apartments whose owners think nothing of charging some of these travelers SR6,000-SR8,000 per week for modest accommodation during the summer months. A quick count on a calculator tells me it would be cheaper for such a family to fly to the beaches of Sharm El Sheikh or the cool mountainous regions in Oman for less. And stay at five-star hotels with breakfast included! Another common gripe is the lack of access to the coast of this coastal city that sits besides the Red Sea. As most domestic tourists are coming here from landlocked towns and villages, access to the open sea is high on their agenda. But sadly, there is little public access. Everything that is not boarded up for construction is gated or expensive. Prices of SR3,000-SR4,000 per day and upwards are not uncommon for a beach cabin during these months, denying most of our visitors a chance for a quick dip in the refreshing coastal waters. It strikes me as bizarre how our municipality could so quickly shrink a once unfettered Corniche that afforded visitors the serenity of softly crashing waves, and transform it into an unsightly compilation of half-built concrete buildings and fast food restaurants that have all but blocked most visitors from getting to the shore and getting their feet wet. What are these city officials thinking of? Lack of public toilets is also a major nuisance. The call of nature waits for no one. And that is something that should be among the things to be considered if the city is serious about encouraging tourism. Traffic jams are an ongoing inconvenience and unfortunately they are expected to continue. We have been hearing of progress in this area for many years, but the reality is anything but. On the contrary, it seems that traffic has gotten much worse in many parts of the city For the young, there are a few diversionary areas of entertainment, but nothing worth a mention. I read recently of a plan by a businessman in Riyadh to build a mall with an indoor ski-slope similar to the one in Dubai. Such investments undoubtedly would provide immediate returns. The cooler the environment, the better. As for food and shopping, most visitors are very satisfied with the diversity of both. Jeddah is multi-cultural, and the variety of ethnicities of its people shows up in their foods. And prices are very reasonable. Shopping here offers goods from all over the world, and while Westerners flock to the gold souks, the domestic tourists invade department stores and shopping malls. If you can bargain your way to affordable accommodation and can put up with slow-moving traffic, then by all means, come to Jeddah for the summer! — The author can be reached at [email protected] __
