DAMMAM: The Eastern Province saw the largest influx of visitors of any region in the country during the spring break vacations, with 1.5 million tourists from across the Kingdom heading to the coast of the Arabian Gulf. Sources told Al-Riyadh Arabic daily that the figure also represented a record high for the region, and attributed it both the moderate weather and the political situation in various neighboring states traditionally popular with holidaying Saudis. The recent flood disasters in Jeddah, they said, provided another motive for families to turn their attention away from the Red Sea. The region has, according to official statistics, 79 hotels and 576 furnished apartment blocks, in addition to countless tourist resorts and “istiraha” rest houses, but most hotels and other facilities for temporary accommodation were booked up for the entire week seven days prior to the start of the vacation, resulting in numerous visitors setting up tents on beaches and in public gardens. Flights into Eastern Province airports were similarly booked up three weeks ahead of the holiday period. In contrast to the massive influx of visitors, many families lamented the lack of recreational facilities on offer in the Eastern Province. Abdul Latif Al-Bunyan of the Tourism Development Council in the Eastern Province said, however, that “numerous activities” staged by the department had been announced in the press – although Al-Riyadh noted that he was unable to provide a single example – and said that several festivals were planned for the near future. “The Tourism Development Council does not necessarily organize events on its own,” Al-Bunyan said. “Instead, it is a partner with the Emirate and the mayoralty in backing tourism”.