Faisal, Emir of Makkah, is expected to soon give the go-ahead for the establishment of a company named “Jeddah Historical Company” to develop the Historical Area and seafront in Jeddah. A total of 16km of seafront and 6km of the Historical Area in downtown Jeddah will be developed. It is expected that Prince Khaled will be briefed on the company's offer and the steps needed to implement the project. According to sources, the Jeddah Company for Urban Development and the Company for the Development of Downtown Jeddah, will form a consortium along with some Gulf companies to carry out this strategic project. Earlier, Adel Fakeih, Mayor of Jeddah, announced that the mayoralty has started carrying out a number of projects to rehabilitate the Historical Area including allocating SR50 million to repair the pavements and lighting of the entire area. He revealed that the establishment of the Jeddah Historical Company will be finalized in the next two months. He said the company is the first to be involved in redesigning and organizing the Historical Area. Meanwhile, Muhammad Al-Amri, Executive Director of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) in Makkah, has highlighted the economic importance of urban heritage areas. He said the SCTA has made the necessary arrangements to register the Historical Area in Jeddah with the United Nations' Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a World Heritage Site in 2012. Fakeih hoped that investments, including hotels and restaurants, will be constructed in the Historical Area. He said the plan will be carried out with the cooperation of the owners of the properties and government sectors. In this context, Dr. Adnan Ads, Director of the Administration for the Development and Rehabilitation of the Historical Area in Jeddah, stressed the importance of urban heritage as a symbol for the history and integrity of society.
