Visitors to Jizan are finding it difficult to find accommodation and have resorted in some cases to using temporary tents. Jizan is a popular destination for visitors from the mountain areas of Asir, Faifa, Bani Malik and Hasher because of its pleasant weather in winter, and demand for the few available hotels and furnished apartments has doubled the rates. Rustum Al-Kubaisi of the Saudi Commission of Tourism and Antiquities in Jizan said that region welcomed 150,000 visitors a year, and hoped the business community would give the area greater attention. Ahmed Al-Qunfodi of Jizan Chamber of Commerce and Industry says, however, that the Chamber has registered a rise in the number of hotels and furnished apartments, which he says suggests an increasing awareness of the importance of the area and the opportunities available to businessmen.
