Jeddah Historic District Thrives with Over 2.5 Million Visitors During Ramadan

The Jeddah Historic District welcomed a staggering 2.5 million visitors during Ramadan. (SPA)
The Jeddah Historic District welcomed a staggering 2.5 million visitors during Ramadan. (SPA)
TT

Jeddah Historic District Thrives with Over 2.5 Million Visitors During Ramadan

The Jeddah Historic District welcomed a staggering 2.5 million visitors during Ramadan. (SPA)
The Jeddah Historic District welcomed a staggering 2.5 million visitors during Ramadan. (SPA)

The Jeddah Historic District enjoyed a bustling Ramadan season, successfully implementing its service and crowd management plans to welcome a staggering 2.5 million visitors.

Beyond the impressive number of visitors, the district has emerged as a model for sustainable practices, urban development, and maintaining a secure, well-organized, and easily navigable environment.

The seamless operation during Ramadan can be attributed to a robust facilities management and crowd control strategy. A dedicated team of over 830 employees clocked more than 250,000 hours during the holy month, ensuring a clean and welcoming environment.

They utilized an arsenal of over 600 cleaning machines and tools, alongside over 16,000 liters of eco-friendly chemicals. This commitment to hygiene extended to the district's public restrooms, which saw a daily average of 5,000 users, and where water consumption had to be carefully balanced.

Waste management was prioritized. Over 1,900 tons of waste were collected and treated, alongside 70 tons of cardboard boxes, the equivalent of roughly 380,000 waste bags. This impressive feat was accomplished through more than 550 waste transfer operations to designated landfills.

On the safety front, over 1,000 security personnel safeguarded the district, supported by the presence of eight rapid response teams and six ambulances. Additionally, 350 crowd-control organizers strategically managed the flow of visitors at 14 locations. To ensure easy accessibility, 70 golf carts provided transportation to and from parking areas.

The Jeddah Historic District encompasses a 2.5 square kilometer area undergoing a comprehensive revitalization program. The program includes significant infrastructure improvements, building restoration, and a vibrant calendar of cultural events. The aim is to establish the district as a haven for businesses, cultural projects, and entrepreneurs, solidifying its position as a vibrant and welcoming destination for all visitors.



‘Less Snow’: Warm January Weather Breaks Records in Moscow

A woman walks with a stroller near a pond during warm weather in Moscow, Russia, 28 January 2025. (EPA)
A woman walks with a stroller near a pond during warm weather in Moscow, Russia, 28 January 2025. (EPA)
TT

‘Less Snow’: Warm January Weather Breaks Records in Moscow

A woman walks with a stroller near a pond during warm weather in Moscow, Russia, 28 January 2025. (EPA)
A woman walks with a stroller near a pond during warm weather in Moscow, Russia, 28 January 2025. (EPA)

January 2025 is on track to be one of the warmest in Moscow on record, meteorologists reported on Wednesday, with two of the past days breaking all-time daily temperature highs.

Thermometer readings on Wednesday have not dipped below an "April-like" 3.8 degrees Celsius (38.8 Fahrenheit), much higher than the historical average below freezing, according to Russia's Phobos weather center.

Residents in the capital told AFP there was less snow for children to play with, and that there was "mud everywhere", making dog walks more challenging.

Experts warn more temperature records will be broken in the future as human-driven climate change disrupts global weather patterns.

"Of course, we don't like winter like this... Everything should be in moderation," 68-year-old pensioner Galina Kazakova told AFP in central Moscow.

"It is very bad for nature, because the snow should lie on the fields, so that it melts, so that everything grows well," she added.

Monday and Tuesday were the warmest of those dates since records started, while Wednesday is also set to beat its historical high, Russia's RBK news outlet reported, citing meteorologists.

"January, which is approaching a heat record, continues to surprise," meteorologist Mikhail Leus said on Telegram, posting a video of chanterelle mushrooms poking through patches of snow in the forest.

Central Russia's state meteorological service said Moscow was on track for its "second warmest January" since records began, beaten only by January 2020.

Russian state media reported January 2025 could be warmer than even that year.

Climatologist Alexey Karnaukhov was uncertain about whether this January would be the warmest.

"It's hard to say whether there will be a record. In 2020, there was no stable snow cover in Russia's midland either, and this year is not unique," Karnaukhov told AFP.

"We live in an era of global warming, warm years will become more and more frequent. Even if the current values turn out to be a record, it will definitely not be the last," he told AFP.

On the streets of the capital, residents expressed both joy and concern at the unseasonably warm weather.

"I like it all. It is very pleasant to walk," said 19-year-old student Olga Medvedeva.

"I like winter better the way it was," said Elena Aleksandrova, 73.

"We take the dog for walks, he likes to play in the snow too. Now where can you walk? There is mud everywhere."