JEDDAH: The Makkah region has welcomed large number of visitors from the Kingdom and neighboring Gulf countries with the onset of the half-term school vacations, but a rise in accommodation and entertainment costs could put the damper for some on the holiday mood. Visitors, tourist and Umrah pilgrims have taken the opportunity to head for the Jeddah coastline, the nearest to Makkah, and Mahmoud Al-Harbi, a receptionist at a block of furnished apartments in Jeddah, said that his bookings were “completely full”. “The most coveted zone is the area between the south end of Palestine Street, the north of Hira Street and the west of Arba'een Street in the direction of the Corniche,” he said. “The further you head west toward the Corniche, the further prices go up.” He said that apartments previously costing between SR300 and SR350 a night were now going for SR650. “Rents at Istiriha rest houses and beach chalets are not much different, going up to 150 percent higher than their out of season charges at some locations,” he said. According to Muhammad Al-Zahrani, a beach resort employee who rents out seaside units at the Corniche, a single one that previously cost SR600 a day now costs SR1,500. “Some villas and private resorts are charging up to SR5,000 per day for a single beachside unit with a private family swimming pool,” he said. The situation at Istirahas is no different, he says. “The new ones that offer private services like multiple swimming pools are charging up to SR2,000 a single day,” Al-Zahrani said. “The advantage they have is that they have enough space for several families and can divide off sections for men and women, making it a more suitable environment for large families who can split the cost between them.” In the Eastern Province, a notable rise in the cost of entrance tickets to children's amusement parks and fairground rides is causing consternation, with prices having shot up in the current holidays by up to 70 percent. Rides for adults have rising by 100 percent. Some amusement parks have put their prices up successively from five to seven to 10 riyals, and adult rides from 10 to 15 riyals. A single day pass for children's rides has gone up from SR75 to SR120. Persons hiring out beach quadbikes and horse rides are similarly charging up to 100 percent more than the usual price. One family said that they were “taken aback” by the prices they were being asked for at beaches in Dammam and Al-Khobar. “They're far higher than in previous years, and there seems to be no real justification for it,” they said. “We can't see any improvements in what's on offer or any new rides or services. These places are one of the few where families can go and find some entertainment for their children but the rise in cost is preventing a lot of families coming and really enjoying the spring holidays.” One person renting out quad bikes at Half Moon beach in Al-Khobar said that at this time of the year and other holiday periods and festivals he works from early morning to the late hours of the night due to the number of beachgoers. “That's why everyone puts their prices up, to cover all the extra costs. Lots of women come, young and old, to ride the bikes, and although some might think it's expensive, it's not, if you take into account the extra costs we have to cover,” he said.
