DAMMAM – The summer holidays have created job opportunities for Saudi young men and women in hotels and residential units, thanks to the high occupancy rate during this time of the year. A number of hotels have attracted scores of Saudis looking for temporary jobs during the summer while others employed college students on unpaid internships. Abdul Latif Al-Binayan, tourism expert, said many companies and establishments have their own training programs which are supervised by the labor office in the province. Hotel and furnished apartment owners said the occupancy rate is high in the Eastern Province but not as high as the southern and western regions where Makkah and Madinah hold the lion's share of hotel occupancy during this time of the year. “Unlike in the Western Province, hotels in the Eastern Province have to entice guests with special offers and provide them with entertainment," said a hotel owner. Adel Alawee, an executive at a major hotel in the Eastern Province, said many hotels and residential units do not raise their rates during the summer holidays because of the moderate number of visitors coming to the province. “Although the hotel sector can raise room rates without violating any laws, this does not happen because of the fierce competition among hotels." “In the western region, hotels in Makkah and Madinah make good profits because of the influx of Umrah performers and visitors. In the south where one can enjoy pleasant weather, hotels and resorts are profitable during vacations and official holidays," he added.
