Business & Money | Sunday 1 January, 2017 2:34 am |

Many young Saudi entrepreneurs are taking part in a weekly market organized by Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) in Jeddah.

Traders in the seasonal Basta Market with over 240 booths that opens to customers only from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays are showcasing a range of products from food products, gifts and fashion accessories to art.

Different activities for children are also organized at the venue, which is a 5,000 sq. meter plot in Al-Ruwais district. Organizers said the market will run until May.

Over 800 young Saudi men and women are expected to take part in the trading event, in addition to many productive families.

Faiz Al-Harbi, a board member of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), which organized the market, said many handmade products will be introduced to the public and there will be some traditional events on the sidelines of he market.

Al-Harbi said the one-day market was inspired by the old Saudi tradition of holding weekly markets. He explained that people of each village used to gather at a particular place on a specific day of the week for exchange of goods and other trading activities. Popular days were Sundays, Thursdays and Tuesdays.

He said the market goes in line with the JCCI’s goal to support youth and promote their products and services. He said the fee for joining the market ranged from SR260 to SR544 and those seeking to participate needed to register online.

The event, he said, aimed at finding a platform for youth to showcase their products and find market in a new and organized setup.

Bandar Arab, head of small and medium enterprises at JCCI, said up to 10,000 people have so far visited the market.

The market opens job opportunities to youth, contributes to fighting unemployment, help youth establish new projects and enhance the culture of self-employment, added Arab.