Entertainment events and festivals are underway
Tourist destinations are stepping up their preparations to welcome mid-year break visitors

Riyadh—Amlak
Several tourism authorities in the Eastern, Western, Central, and Southern regions have finalized their preparations to welcome visitors and tourists during the mid-school-year break, which begins in a few days, offering a chance to rest, relax, and enjoy the mild weather prevalent in most regions during this time of year.

Tourist Regions
Many regions of the Kingdom are characterized by their diversity, featuring archaeological, heritage, natural, cultural, environmental, recreational, and economic destinations, among others, reflecting the Kingdom’s vast expanse and the diversity of its terrain and geography, These destinations are particularly attractive due to their favorable climate. Among the most popular tourist destinations during this period is is the Riyadh region, which is considered one of the most important tourist destinations due to its diverse offerings in cultural and heritage tourism, shopping tourism, attractions, and high-quality services, in addition to hosting numerous events, festivals, and entertainment centers.
The Central Region
The Saudi capital is currently experiencing a remarkable tourism boom, thanks to a large number of parks, gardens, and major shopping centers, as well as numerous tourist attractions, including cultural attractions such as heritage sites, museums, historical sites, heritage villages, traditional markets, and intellectual, sporting, and economic activities, as well as infrastructure such as hotels, upscale restaurants, entertainment venues, and major markets. During the mid-year school break, four festivals and events are held in Riyadh: the International Food Festival, the Second Family Festival of Palms and Dates (Jania), the Riyadh Municipality Driving Skills Championship (First Round), and the Riyadh Comedy Festival.
Eastern Province Tourism
The Eastern Province is also an ideal destination for tourism during the mid-year break, with the cities of Dammam and Al-Khobar attracting thousands of visitors from within the Kingdom and abroad, thanks to their wonderful atmosphere and a wide range of tourist, heritage, and recreational sites, as well as coastal attractions, parks, restaurants, and markets. The region hosts five festivals during the break: the King Abdulaziz Camel Beauty Contest, the Saitek Educational Program, the Al-Khobar Tourism Festival, the Al-Nairiyah Spring Festival, and performances by the Green Falcons team.
Tourism in the Western Region
Meanwhile, the regions of Madinah and Makkah enjoy special appeal during this time of year. In addition to the great religious significance of both regions and the profound spiritual experiences during the performance of Umrah or a visit to the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) tomb, Madinah is one of the Kingdom’s most important cultural tourist destinations. Al-Ula, in the same region, holds a prominent position among cultural and heritage tourism destinations—not only nationally but also globally— attracting many tourists from various countries who are interested in exploring its unique tourist attractions, foremost among which is Madain Saleh. Likewise, the coastal city of Yanbu, with the Radwan Al-Bari Festival 1435 AH taking place during the mid-year break, makes all these areas ideal destinations for individuals and families to enjoy their time.
More than 700 hotels
The General Authority for Tourism and Antiquities in Makkah Al-Mukarramah announced that it has ensured the readiness of tourist accommodation facilities for visitors and Umrah pilgrims during the Umrah season and the mid-year vacation, with 727 accommodation facilities offering a total capacity of 140,000 rooms.
The Authority confirmed that there has been a notable increase in the occupancy rate of tourist accommodations in Makkah since the start of the Umrah season, with expectations that the booking rate will rise to 100%, particularly in the central region, in mid-Rabi“ al-Awwal, coinciding with the start of the mid-year school break.