Feeling festive, Saudis spent $106 mln in Bahrain during Eid holiday

Statistics indicate that more than 300,000 Saudi citizens visited Bahrain via the King Fahd Bridge during the first three days of Eid Al-Adha. Experts in the tourism and traveling industry estimate that Saudi families spent more than SR400 million ($106 m) during these three days.

Abdullatif Al-Afalig, head of tourism committee at Jeddah Municipal Council, was quoted by Al-Eqtisadiah Arabic newspaper that the Eastern Province became a transit zone for some visitors coming from different parts of the Kingdom, after the establishment of the King Fahd Bridge, heading toward Bahrain. He estimated that the amount of spending per Saudi citizen in Bahrain would be SR400 approximately in exchange of food, entertainment and bridge crossing fees.

Al-Afalig encouraged people not to get annoyed at Saudi families who travel to neighboring countries such as Bahrain and Dubai, because they provided everything that families from the Gulf need especially Saudi families.

During the three days of Eid Al-Adha, more than 300 Saudis spent more than SR400 million on secondary and not basic needs such as insurance, food and gas excluding lodging charges.

An investor, who preferred to remain anonymous, said that many Saudi visitors visiting Bahrain do not actually reside there but return to the Eastern province at the end of each day. Charges in hotels and furnished apartments are very high during seasons and could reach up to SR2,000 per night during Eid.

He expected that the total spending of travelers during Eid could cost more than the estimated SR400 million.

This article first appeared in the Saudi Gazette on Oct. 6, 2015.