SMEs make an effective contribution to the development of the local economy; they contribute to the Kingdom's GDP by 20 % while the global average is 46 %, pointing out that closing the gap will achieve an increase in GDP that may reach about 1.1 trillion Saudi riyals. Engineer Bassam Ali Al-Sadiq, Assistant Deputy Governor of the Commission, stressed in a workshop organized by the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry yesterday that more than 50 % of innovations and more than 90 % of total high impact innovations have been presented to the world through SMEs.

At the workshop titled “Enriching the Hajj and Umrah Experience and Defining the Role of SMEs”, with the participation of a number of businessmen and investors, as part of the activities accompanying the Makkah Economic Forum. <The workshop was titled “Enriching the Hajj and Umrah experience and defining the role of SMEs”, and was characterized by the participation of a number of businessmen and investors, within the framework of the activities accompanying the Makkah Economic Forum and Engineer Bassam addressed the important role of enterprises in enhancing the growth and diversification of the economy of the Makkah region and promoting the economic empowerment of youth and women.He pointed out that the contribution of SMEs to innovation activities in the United Kingdom reaches 66 % and in Austria 49 % and put bureaucracy, financing and access to markets on the list of the most prominent challenges facing the SME sector in the Kingdom.

Afterwards, the President spoke about the important role of enterprises in promoting the growth and diversification of the Makkah region's economy and enhancing the economic empowerment of youth and women. <Nael Samir Fayez, Founding CEO of INJAZ Saudi Arabia, spoke about the economic events that SMEs in the Makkah region can participate in and benefit from in order to enrich the Hajj and Umrah experience and provide an unprecedented experience for the visitor. He highlighted the project to prepare a roadmap for the economic development of the Makkah region, specifically Makkah and Medina, and its most important objectives, which are to develop and increase the development of investment opportunities in the sectors supporting and adjacent to Hajj and Umrah, raise the level of local products and develop the retail sector in the cities of Makkah and Medina, and highlight the status of the historical cities of Makkah and Medina.

He highlighted a number of initiatives of the Makkah and Medina Economic Development Roadmap. He mentioned a number of quick-win initiatives available for small and medium enterprises that can be utilized in cooperation with the concerned official authorities in order to enhance the contribution of enterprises to the local product, including ”Your Opportunity in Your Heritage” and “Mobile Vending Carts”, and addressed major initiatives that will have a major role in the economic development of the region, including ”Cupping Centers” and “Al-Dhad Language”.

He talked about the major initiatives that will have a major role in the economic development of the region, including “Cupping Centers” and ”Al-Dhad Language". He talked about pivotal initiatives such as "Makkah Expo", which is a three-month exhibition before the Hajj to showcase the most important heritage components of the region to attract more visitors, "Medical Supplies Industry", and "Haramain Furniture", calling on small and medium enterprises to take advantage of these opportunities.

He addressed the key initiatives that will play a major role in the economic development of the region, including "Cupping Centers" and "The Language of Dade".