Culture & Education | Tuesday 18 August, 2015 3:34 am |

The ongoing 9th edition of Souq Okaz, a unique and important tourism landmark organized by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH), has introduced a new phenomenon to promote Saudi arts and crafts and ensure a fair competition for exhibited products.

“In the ongoing Souq Okaz 2015, a new way of distribution of artisans is envisaged on the souq avenue. It is in accordance of the craft type so that artisans performing any one type of craft will sit together. This is to ensure fair competition among them for the promotion of arts and craft products in the Kingdom,” said a SCTNH spokesman on Monday.
Souq Okaz Avenue features the participation of a number of artisans, presenting various types of handicrafts besides marketing their products to the visitors of the souq.

This year Souq Okaz Avenue is hosting 11 artisans from Bahrain and Qatar who are seated in the middle of the avenue.
Moreover, the four tents located in the middle of the avenue are dedicated to SCTNH partners to showcase their Saudi products.
A senior SCTNH official, Abdullah Al-Sowat, said that SCTNH is keen on creating added value with its participation in this year’s souq with best programs to develop the event to become rich and attractive, and distinct from other tourism events to achieve good economic and social returns.
“We want to put Souq Okaz at the forefront of events in the Kingdom, as a source of new ideas in the management and organization of tourism events,” he said.

Today Souq Okaz is a prime destination for a large number of tourists due to its deep historical and cultural roots.
The current souq reveals the glorious past and the modernity of the present. Its importance lies in its historic symbolism as the original source of Arabic culture as a destination for ancient Arab intellectuals and poets, and people passionate about culture and literature.