New fish market in Jeddah designed to boost tourism

JEDDAH – A new central fish market will be constructed in Jeddah shortly. Jeddah Governor Prince Mishal Bin Majed has given the go-ahead to the project after approving its designs. Jeddah Development Company, the investment wing of Jeddah Municipality, announced that the private sector would implement the project on the basis of designs selected by the Jeddawis. Prince Mishal met with municipality officials including Mayor Dr. Hani Aburas to discuss the project and instructed them to implement it maintaining the highest standard. The company said the new central fish market would become a tourist center along the Red Sea as it will include branches of well-known international restaurants and shopping malls. The market will have stalls for selling fish in wholesale and retail, the company said. It will also have an ice factory, a large parking area and a marina in addition to a coast guard center. The project will cover an area of 64,000 sq. meters and will have a three-story parking facility, 52 restaurants and cafes of different size and standard, 36 business offices, 172 retail stalls, 24 wholesale stalls, 22 shops, resting places for families and an auction area. “We are aiming to have an integrated project that would promote tourism and strengthen economy,” Ibrahim Kutubkhana, CEO of the company, told Makkah Arabic daily. “The fish market project comes as part of ongoing efforts to establish tourist centers along the Red Sea, especially near the existing fish market,” he pointed out. He said the existing fish market place would be converted into an attractive recreational center to meet the requirements of Jeddawis. “At the same time, the market would supply a wide variety of fish and will become the largest in the world,” Kutubkhana said, adding that the project would create at least 1,500 new jobs in sales, recreation and tourism. “It will boost the national economy with the support of private sector and realize the objectives of Vision 2030,” he added. Nidal Taiba, vice president of the company for business development and investment, said the project’s design (in the form of waves) would make it an imposing landmark in the city. “It will follow the Hijazi architecture and will be environment friendly, ensuring free flow of winds and removing nasty smell from the area. It will also have a water recycling system,” Taiba said. Waddah Kaaki, business development manager, said investors would be given a full map of the project. “Investment opportunities will be given for a period of 25 years.” The market place will be transformed into a tourist center along the sea in order to attract a large number of Jeddah residents as well as foreign tourists. “We hope that it would become the first tourist destination in the city,” Kaaki told Makkah daily.