Old Jeddah to be Hub for International Tourists Spot

Thursday, 21 February 2008
By Kholood F. Al-Rhamah

JEDDAH - For decades, foreign residents and visitors to Jeddah used to wonder why its Old Quarter, the only heritage site in the city, was not better preserved, though the crooked and tilting buildings with their collapsed or crumbling walls, rickety windows, doors and balustrades were quite a sight.

Now comes some action, after a number of buildings have collapsed or been devastated by fire. The Tourism and Culture Department in the Jeddah Municipality and the Supreme Commission of Tourism (SCT) are conducting joint studies to a huge project for a mega investment project to convert the historical area into an international tourist site.

The old Jeddah area contains many historical places and ancient sites like the Naseef House, Imam Al-Shafei Mosque and the water cisterns, and old districts like Al-Sham alleyway, Al-Mathloom alleyway and Bab Makkah area.

Sami Nawar, director general of the municipality's Tourism and Culture Department said that the SR3 million study is six-pronged and will take 16 months to complete.

"The study is practical in nature and it entails going and examining the places to decide what exactly needs to be done and to estimate the cost Nawar said.
He said special care would be taken to preserve the originality of the buildings.

"There will be reconstruction work on all the museums, like Al-Haj museum and private museums like Abdul Rao'f Museum, to make them more suitable for the tourists by keeping their real and authentic historical origin," Nawar said.

Safeya Binzagir museum will also be modernized and supported.
Reconstruction work in the area will cover electrical wiring, painting and planting more trees around the buildings.

"We are keen on making these areas more alive," said Nawar, expecting many more foreign tourists to visit when the work is completed.

King Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, the Founder of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, used to receive citizens at the Naseef House, and he stayed at the house of Banaja.

The historical area will be enlarged and used as a venue to host events. It will have halls and an auditorium for 1,500 people. In addition, there will be gardens and green areas under the development program.

The historical area goes back approximately 3,000 years. It was a settlement of fishermen. The tribe of Quda'ah stayed in the area 2,500 years ago.

When Islam entered the Arabian Peninsula, Jeddah's history became closely intertwined with that of Islamic history and it became the Gateway to the Two Holy Mosques.

Dr. Ali Ghabban, SCT deputy secretary general for Museums and Cultural Heritage, said historical sites like Old Jeddah should be made more attractive to tourists and thus become revenue spinners.

Moves are afoot to have Old Jeddah recognized as a World Heritage Site.
"We have contracted international consultants to work on a protection and management plan for

the area in order to register the Old Jeddah area in the list of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites," he said.

Officials have Conflicting Views on Gulf-bound Saudi Teachers

Monday, 18 February 2008
By Kholood F. Al-Rhamah

JEDDAH - The Ministry of Education says it has nothing to do with unemployed Saudi teachers taking up jobs in other Gulf countries.

Government authorities have expressed concern over the job migration, which they see as a brain drain. Shoura Council members say they consider women traveling for the Gulf countries for work as a waste of the country's capabilities and resources.

"The Ministry of Education and other government authorities should look into this issue more seriously," said Abdullah Boukhary, a member of the Shoura's foreign affairs committee. "This should be investigated in order to find solutions to preserve the country's valuable resources."
But Abdul Aziz Al-Jarallah, Public Relations general manager at the Ministry of Education said the responsibility was on the Ministry of Civil Services.

"It is not our responsibility to find jobs for graduates, they should go to the MCS, and they are the ones who should appoint them to several ministries including the Ministry of Education," Al-Jarallah said. "Only then they become our responsibility and not before."

Positive step
A Ministry of Labor source, who asked not to be identified, dismissed all the negativity about Saudi teachers moving to the Gulf. The source said that having Saudis working across the region is a positive step.

"If we could open the door for Gulf countries citizens to participate in exchange working programs, the result would enrich the region and contribute to achieving a balance in the region. It is better than bringing non-Saudis to work as teachers," the source said.

The Shoura Council has no schedule so far for discussing the matter. Mohammed Al-Zolfa, a Shoura member, said that the Council has not discussed the issue yet .

"We have not discussed the issue in the Council, but in my opinion I won't be against the idea," he said.

"When I go to any of the Gulf countries, I see Saudi women working in different fields and unfortunately these fields are not available in (the Kingdom).

"We should not blame them if they seek a better future somewhere else," Al-Zolfa said.

Saudis to work as Tourist Guides

Wednesday, 13 February 2008
By Kholood Al-Rhamah

JEDDAH - A changing tourism industry will now allow unemployed Saudis to become tour guides as part of a new Tourism Guidance Program.

Ahmed Al-Eissa, General Manager of SCT Permits and Quality Department stressed the importance of organizing and developing tour guides in the Kingdom as a career.

"We are creating several job opportunities for Saudis in this field in order to develop and let tourism flourish in Saudi Arabia," said Al-Eissa.

Al-Eissa said being a tour-guide is a job authorized by a permit from the SCT. Their job is to accompany tourists to different sites around the Kingdom and be experts on the natural, cultural and heritage sites.

The permits are given for three categories of guides, said Al-Eissa. "The guides are divided into three categories. General guides who cover the entire Kingdom, local guides who specialize in a specific region or city and a site guide who deals exclusively with specific locations," he said.

Al-Eissa said the requirements to become a tourist guide are not complicated.

"The applicant must be Saudi, not less than 21 years old with no criminal record, medically fit, they must pass the tests and personal interview given by the SCT and they must be first aid certified," Al-Eissa said.

Currently the number of Saudis working in the field is still very low but travel agencies within the Kingdom have already started recruiting tour guides.

"Tourism Guidance is considered new for Saudis but the financial outcome is promising and because of the available workshops and courses there are several opportunities to advance," Al-Eissa said.

Sattam Ahmed Al-Bloui has been a tour guide for two years and is the manager of Al-Khafgi Festival.

"Requesting a permit was very easy after logging in to the SCT web. Working as a tour guide for a number of foreign delegations was fun and exciting.

It gets you to know the tour sites closely and learn about them which bring you closer to your country's heritage and culture," Al-Bloui said.

Al-Bloui has been a guide not only to foreign delegations but to Saudis as well.

"The best part of being a tour guide is that "I'm explaining our culture, our history, and civilization. I find, foreign tourists respect that and appreciate it," he said.

Social Welfare to Cover Water and Electricity Bills

Tuesday, 12 February 2008
By Kholood F. Al-Rhamah

JEDDAH - The Kingdom will start paying electricity bills and water bill for those who cannot afford them.

The Social Security Department in the Ministry of Social Affairs will start helping widows, orphans, the disabled, minors, elderly women, and government employees who receive less than SR1,500 monthly.

Abdul Mohsen Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Akass, Minister of Social Affairs, urged authorities to start supporting programs for people in need; such as repairing houses, providing medical treatment and paying water and electricity bills.

Mohammed Abdullah Al-Okala'a, undersecretary of Social Security and Public Housing in the Ministry, said the program is geared towards freeing up the income of those who have very little in the first place.

"The goal in starting such programs is to help the people with some of the burdens they face, as well as putting the money they usually use for their bills for something else they need," Al-Okala'a said.

The program will start after the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Water and Electricity establish a mechanism of payment.

SCT to Check 600 Hotels

Thursday, 07 February 2008
By Kholood F. Al-Rhamah

JEDDAH - The Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Supreme Commission of Tourism (SCT) will inspect about 600 hotels and apartments here many of which have raised rent for overnight stay by up to 50 percent from February 6 to 15.

Receptionists at furnished apartments in Anhar Al-Rawdah and Al-Hosoon said the rent hike is prompted by the deluge of tourists who usually come here at this time to escape the cold in other parts of the Kingdom.

The rent in Anhar Al-Rawdah, Al-Samiriyah, Gardinya and Al-Hosoon furnished apartments usually go up to SR180 to SR300 a night during vacation from SR120 during regular days, they added.

However, Eng. Ahmed Al-Eissa, general manager of SCT Permits and Quality department, said their main objective is to check if the establishments meet safety requirements and provide quality accommodation.

"We do not aim to penalize anybody - we just want to ensure the accommodations live up to quality and professional standards," he said.

An SCT statistic showed that 20 percent of tourists in Jeddah prefer to stay in hotels while 50 percent opt for furnished rented apartments.

No-Mehram Rule makes Little difference – Hotels

Tuesday, 05 February 2008
By Kholood F. Al-Rhamah and

Sabahat F. Siddiqi

JEDDAH - Hotels across Saudi Arabia are now allowed to receive female guests without a Mehram or male guardian accompanying them, after a decision by the Ministry of Commerce to this effect.

However, a Saudi Gazette survey in Jeddah, Dammam and Riyadh showed that, since the new rule, only five to 10 percent of guests were women who stayed overnight.

At the Holiday Inn, a spokesperson said their statistics on female guests has not changed dramatically since the decision was made.

"We had female visitors coming into the hotel after the decision but the number is low," the spokesperson said, suggesting that the new rule has not made much of a difference.

The Ministry of Commerce now requires all female visitors to have a national ID as a condition to stay overnight unaccompanied.

"It will take time to be implemented in the hotels," said Sada Al-Abo from the Hotel Crown Plaza, Jeddah.

"In time, by the summer, I believe that the number will increase up to 50 percent," Al-Abo said.
The decision applies to both Saudis and expatriates.

Hotels in the Eastern Province have not implemented the decision and are still preventing women from checking-in without a Mehram.

"We have not yet received any memo from the government so we have not changed our policies," said Abdullah Isamil, a supervisor at Safari Hotel, Dammam.

Some hotels are still waiting for official word to make the change in their check-in procedures.
"We heard about the decision of allowing women to check-in to hotels without a male escort, but we did not receive any memo to apply it," said Ashraf Abdul Malik, general manager of Al-Salam Palace, Dammam.

"We are still preventing women from checking in alone." A representative from Al-Attas Hotel said that most of the women come with their husband or brother. If they are from Jeddah, then the hotel authorities verify their back-story by calling a person related to her.

"We still have our own hotel policies to ensure the safety and security of our guests and to make sure both the hotel and the guests do not encounter problems," he said.

English key to PR Success

Friday, 01 February 2008
By Diana Al Jassem and

Kholood F. Al-Rhamah

JEDDAH - English is a prerequisite for success in public relations operations in Saudi Arabia, according to participants in a two-day PR Forum here last week. Such is the need for the lingua franca of global communications that local PR companies spend hugely to train their staff accordingly.

"Our company pays each employee SR22,000 for special training courses in the New Horizon institution," said Salah Al-Rimi, media relations manager in Al-Taalok International Company for Public Relations and Media.

For young Saudis looking for jobs, PR is a bright option because the starting salary is good - five figures even - if one is fluent in English and has the right personality.

But, said Saud Saleh Al-Mesibieh, a writer, media researcher and PR expert, "It does not depend on the personality only. PR has many requirements and the language is the main one, especially in these days of globalization where new communication methods shorten the distance between continents."

Hanan Mufti, a PR executive for Saudi Aramco on the Western Province, said his grasp of English is a plus.

"I'm considered successful in the PR field," said Mufti. I graduated in English from Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah, so I already had the perfect language to help me enough in my career."

At Mobily, PR manager Abdullah Al Kharboushi, said learning English is one of the main requirements, for which they have special training courses.

In addition to English, one needs a certain skills set to excel in PR.

"Many companies lack the professional PR employee so they just have one employee who is professional in English," said Zahra Al-Khaldi, a marketing executive in Intellect Media Company.

PR jobseekers in Saudi Arabia generally range from high school graduates to others with higher qualifications and specializations, but seldom in PR itself.

"Preparing the PR employee differs from company to company," Al-Khaldi said. "For example, our company focuses on teaching the PR employee how to treat consumers and meet with journalists - in fact we do not have special English training courses."

More than 400 PR experts and top executives from government and business attended last week's forum that concluded with the following main recommendations:

Encourage PR companies and other businesses to commission research so as to assess the value of PR campaigns, and weigh costs against the results of such campaigns.

Urge universities to embark on Mass Media training for PR staff in cooperation with the private sector.

Urge PR executives in government to provide full scale services.

In the next forum, focus on new media platforms and electronic communities so as provide educational opportunities aimed at making good use of these platforms for PR activities.

Urge speakers and panelists next year to present locally produced success stories and examples that better serve the delegates.