The annual Jeddah Ghair Festival kicked off Wednesday with dazzling fireworks beautifying the city's skies for over half an hour making those gathered at the Jeddah Equestrian Club mesmerized and captivated. The 37-day festival was inaugurated by Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah region. The festival includes at least 150 activities including a fireworks display at 11 P.M. every Thursday at Al-Nawras Square and South Obhur, in addition to a circus, dolphin show, children's programs, sports and games. The event will wrap up on July 12, a week ahead of the start of the holy month of Ramadan. Several authorities concerned with tourism investment, like the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), Jeddah Mayoralty and Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), will be in the forefront of these activities. “We expect this year's summer festival to be among the best ever as we have introduced a number of new ideas,” Mohammed Al-Safah, director of festivals and tourism programs at the JCCI, said prior to the inauguration of the event. This year's festival is expected to receive more visitors than last year when the city welcomed 4.5 million tourists generating SR6 billion during the summer festival. Earlier, Khaled Al-Harithy, head of JCCI's hospitality and tourism committee, a security committee will supervise all events of the Jeddah festival. The official was responding to a question about steps taken by the JCCI to address objections from members of the Commission for the Promotion for Virtue and Prevention of Vice (the Hai'a) to playing music at the venues of the event. The Hai'a had opposed playing loud music during previous festivals. The Jeddah festival plays an important role in generating tourism revenue for the city. According to data from SCTA, there are 192 hotels with 11,000 rooms, 670 furnished apartments with 13,561 units, 76 tourist resorts, 14 entertainment parks, 205 malls, 15 museums, 90 sports centers, 194 travel agencies, 84 car rental agencies and 480 restaurants to serve visitors. __
