The Mayor's Office in Jeddah has launched 42 private and publicly-funded projects, prominent among them the creation of a College of Tourism, to train staff working in the field. The plans, according to an official source, will take ten years to come to fruition and center on the historical Al-Balad district of Jeddah, and include an institute for handicrafts and other educational facilities. Earlier, Dr. Adnan Abbas Adas, Director of the Historic Area Department, said that 11 percent of all the buildings in Old Jeddah are listed as first-class buildings and that they include houses, mosques and buildings that were used in the past as headquarters of government bodies and consulates, in addition to sites that witnessed significant historical events. He said that Old Jeddah, which is an important part of the country's cultural identity, has deteriorated over the past 20 years due to natural factors and inappropriate use. “Reviving the area requires social and economic rehabilitation,” he said. He noted that Jeddah municipality in cooperation with several partners, such as, the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), has prepared plans to manage, preserve and develop the area. Adas said a contract that has been signed with a team of French experts involving courses for engineers and specialists on urban rehabilitation and development. These courses include lectures and field training in which trainers will demonstrate methods that can be used to ensure high quality restoration of historic sites at the lowest possible cost. Adas said the contract also involves a technical guide that is being printed and will be available on the mayoralty's website. The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs has signed three contracts with local firms, worth SR30 million, to improve and maintain pavements, lighting and alleys in the city's historic area, Adas said, adding that the sites to be maintained are being handed over to contractors who will take 24 months to complete their projects. He said 42 projects to develop the historic area will be carried out in three stages over ten years. The most important project is a concrete tunnel for infrastructure services to ensure easier future maintenance and to avoid further damage to the area. Other development projects include renovating historic buildings for office, residential and commercial purposes. Some of them will be turned into museums, cultural centers, a handicraft institute and a tourism college.
